A survey by a private research firm shows the rush to raise prices for food and beverages will likely continue into the autumn and beyond in Japan, with more than 18,000 items affected. (NHK)

Japan's e-commerce market has lost momentum after growing more than 20% since 2019. Demand for online shopping surged as consumers hunkered down at home to avoid COVID-19, but the quick end to the spending spree has dashed hopes that online retail will become a new engine of economic growth. (Nikkei)

Japan's government slashed its economic growth forecast for this fiscal year largely due to slowing overseas demand, highlighting the impact of Russia's war in Ukraine, China's strict COVID-19 lockdowns and a weakening global economy. (Nikkei)

Obesity rates among Japanese school students have started falling after they climbed sharply between the end of 2019 and throughout 2020. (soranews24.com)

There was a time when some investors believed the worst was over for the yen. These beliefs were destroyed in the past week as the yen fell further against the dollar. (forexcrunch.com)

Four out of five large Japanese firms are passing on higher commodity costs to customers or intend to do so, a Reuters poll found, a sharp rise from the previous survey six months ago as surging input prices and a weak yen drive up import costs. (marketscreener.com)

Experts tasked with assessing the coronavirus situation in Tokyo have warned that the Japanese capital is now facing a rapid resurgence of coronavirus infections. (NHK)

To prevent sexual exploitation, a smartphone app has been developed in Japan that automatically deletes children’s nude selfies. (chiangraitimes.com)

New stock market listings in Japan are on track to fall 30% from a year earlier in the first half of 2022 as a confluence of global factors makes international investment scarce. (Nikkei)

Sharp plans to adopt English as its official language next year, CEO Wu Po-hsuan said Thursday, as the company ramps up efforts to bolster its TV and home appliance business in the U.S. and Europe. ()

Japan's government and central bank said on Friday they were concerned by recent sharp falls in the yen in a rare joint statement, the strongest warning to date that Tokyo could intervene to support the currency as it plumbs 20-year lows. (kitco.com)

Manoeuvres by China and Russia have sharpened security concerns in East Asia, Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi said in unusually strong comments on Saturday, adding that Japan was on the front lines as neighbours tried to upend international norms. (wkzo.com)

Tadashi Yanai, founder and chief of Japanese clothing retail chain Uniqlo, has regained his title as the richest person in Japan even as a global economic slowdown has eroded his wealth sharply, according to international business magazine Forbes Asia's latest list of the 50 richest people in Japan. (abs-cbn.com)

Home appliances remain in short supply across Japan due to the global semiconductor crunch and supply chain disruptions tied to Beijing's zero-COVID policy, as companies that have resumed production at factories in China say it will take time to reach normal operations. (Nikkei)

A private survey has found that food and drink manufacturers in Japan have raised prices or plan to increase them for over 8,000 items due to higher raw material costs. (NHK)

Tokyo police have arrested a 45-year-old company executive and her two sons on suspicion of abusing a coronavirus-related government subsidy program. (NHK)

Women in their 30s in Japan continue to make progress in workforce participation, greatly flattening their once-pronounced M-shaped dip stemming from pressure to quit jobs and become stay-at-home mothers. (Nikkei)

Japan's net external assets hit a record 411 trillion yen ($3.24 trillion) in 2021, to retain its position as the top creditor for 31 years in a row, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said on Friday. (CNA)

It may not currently be a topic of polite conversation in much of local society, but abortion in Japan has existed for as long as people have. (unseenjapan.com)

The last time the Japanese yen dipped below 130 to the American dollar, in 2002, China’s economy was smaller than France’s, Vladimir Putin was meeting Western officials with a smile, and the rapper Eminem was atop the pop-music charts. (The Economist)

Japanese mother of three Maiko Takahashi was never one to pinch pennies or accept hand-me-downs for her children even though circumstances for her single-income family have always been fairly modest. (straitstimes.com)

Travelers wearing masks crowded train stations and airports across Japan as the Golden Week holiday began Friday without the issuance of a coronavirus state of emergency for the first time in three years. (Japan Today)

Asahi Breweries will increase prices across the vast majority of its beverage lineup, passing on surging ingredient and packaging costs to customers in a move that could spur rivals to follow suit. (Nikkei)

The Ukrainian government has apologized over a video shared on Twitter that juxtaposed a picture of the late Japanese Emperor Hirohito to those of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini in describing Nazism and fascism. (Japan Today)

Japan has seen a surge in job-hopping among older workers as companies seek experienced individuals who can help them grow in the post-pandemic era. (Nikkei)