A hotel in Choshi, Chiba Prefecture, known for offering one of Japan’s earliest sunrise views, has remained closed months after its sudden suspension of operations in late 2025, as an investigation reveals the operator behind the property acquired dozens of facilities nationwide, with at least 24 now shut or out of business, raising questions about a business model allegedly tied to visa acquisition for Chinese investors.

Japan’s domestic automobile sales showed solid growth, with new car sales in April rising 9.6% from a year earlier to 314,816 units, according to data released on May 1st by industry groups including the Japan Automobile Dealers Association.

Japan’s stock market is drawing fresh attention as the Nikkei 225 gains momentum and global investors look more seriously at Japanese technology shares.

A sharp exchange unfolded at the review conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in New York, where China accused Japan of seeking to deploy nuclear weapons belonging to its allies, prompting a firm rebuttal from Tokyo.

Japan’s Golden Week holiday period got fully underway on April 29, drawing large crowds to major tourist destinations and airports, where long lines formed as overseas travel surged.

An Idemitsu Kosan crude oil tanker has safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz, becoming the first vessel bound for Japan to do so since attacks on Iran heightened tensions in the region and effectively disrupted maritime traffic.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi met Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on April 28, confirming the importance of stable natural gas supplies from Australia, one of Japan's key energy suppliers, against the backdrop of rising tensions involving Iran.

A man in his 40s is on the run after allegedly attacking two teenage boys with a hammer, injuring police officers and his mother by spraying what is believed to be agricultural chemicals, and then escaping from his home during a police standoff in Tokyo's Fussa on April 29.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attended the central May Day rally organized by the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, known as Rengo, and called for cooperation in achieving sustained wage increases that outpace inflation, as concerns grow over rising prices amid worsening tensions in the Middle East.

Japan has many themed restaurants, but this one really surprised us. (TabiEats)

The Bank of Japan decided to leave interest rates unchanged, opting against an additional rate hike for now, after its monetary policy meeting concluded earlier with a majority vote to maintain the policy rate at 0.75%, marking the third consecutive meeting at which rates were left unchanged.

Generative AI chatbot ChatGPT would have ranked first in this year's entrance examinations for both the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, according to research by AI startup Life Prompt.

Electricity and gas bills for usage in May will rise slightly in Japan, with the impact of tensions involving Iran expected to appear in utility charges from June onward. Larger increases could follow in subsequent months.

The Japanese government held the first meeting of an expert panel on April 27 to begin discussions on revising three key security-related documents, including the National Security Strategy.

The forest wildfire in Otsuchi entered its seventh day on April 28, with firefighting operations continuing as additional rainfall was forecast, raising hopes that wetter conditions could help slow the blaze.

The impact of the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is spreading to Japan's export industries, dealing a fresh blow to automakers and other companies reliant on Middle East trade routes.

A survey by Nikkei Inc. and the Japan Center for Economic Research found that 66% of economists believe Japan needs measures to curb petroleum consumption in response to rising crude oil prices.

Regular service by an electric passenger ferry linking Tokyo's Nihonbashi and Toyosu began on April 26. It marks Japan's first scheduled service using a fully electric passenger vessel operated by a private company.

The Nikkei Stock Average rose by more than 1,100 points at one stage in trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Monday. Following gains in semiconductor-related shares on the New York market on June 24, buy orders flowed into AI and chip-related stocks in Tokyo, lifting the Nikkei back above the 60,000 level.

Prolonged tensions in the Middle East are beginning to affect everyday vegetables in Japan, with tomato farmers facing higher costs and shortages of packaging materials.

A viral social media video showing a man believed to be a foreign national being restrained by police in Tokyo has sparked widespread debate, with claims that officers had begun deporting troublesome tourists by wrapping them 'like sushi.'

The nationwide consumer price index for fiscal 2025, released today, rose 2.7% from the previous year. Prices have now exceeded the government and Bank of Japan's 2% target for a fourth consecutive year.

Japan has reduced refinery operating rates as it scrambles to secure alternative crude supplies following disruptions to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the growing strain on one of Asia’s most import-dependent energy markets.

The Japanese government held an emergency meeting with the Bank of Japan and executives from the country's three megabanks to discuss potential risks posed by the new artificial intelligence model 'Claude Mythos' to Japan's financial system.

As Japan’s entire baby boomer generation enters the late-stage elderly bracket, the country is approaching what experts call the 'Great Inheritance Era' — a period marked by a sharp rise in asset transfers after death.