Japan is set to begin its first clinical trial of xenotransplantation involving the transplant of pig kidneys into human patients, in a step that could open a new option for people with kidney failure.

Japan remains among the world’s leading nations in seabed resource development and should accelerate work to sharpen its technology, Democratic Party for the People upper house lawmaker Yoshihiko Yamada said, calling for broader ocean policy investment, stronger protection of sea lanes and a more active Japanese role in mine-clearing operations near the Strait of Hormuz.

Strong earthquakes have continued to shake parts of Japan in recent weeks, with 11 temblors measuring lower 5 or above on the Japanese seismic intensity scale recorded across the country since April 2026.

Sushiro, Japan’s leading conveyor-belt sushi chain, drew heavy crowds to a new outlet near Ayase Station in Tokyo on June 11, with the first day of business revealing both the brand’s strength and the pressure behind running a high-volume sushi restaurant.

Tokyo stocks edged higher on June 29 as investors bought back selected shares after a sharp AI-led selloff, but gains were capped by caution over high technology valuations, Middle East tensions and a weakening yen that fell to its lowest level against the dollar since 1986.

According to updates on June 28, the double-typhoon system that brought record rain, flooding, landslides and fallen trees to parts of Japan has moved away, but Kanto remains under cloudy rainy-season skies, with intermittent rain still possible and saturated ground keeping the risk of landslides high in areas hit by heavy rain.

The Kanto region is experiencing an unusual June, with three typhoons approaching the area during the month and rainfall totals already reaching record levels in some locations.

Typhoon No. 7's impact on Japan's transport network continued to ease on June 28, with major airports and Shinkansen services operating largely as normal, although disruptions remained on several JR conventional lines in eastern Japan and road problems continued in areas affected by heavy rain and landslides.

The number of people with dementia or suspected dementia who were reported missing to police totaled 17,345 in 2025, down by nearly 800 from the previous year but still at a high level, according to a National Police Agency summary.

A 23-year-old Chinese man has been arrested and sent to prosecutors on suspicion of dangerous driving resulting in injury after allegedly crashing a Porsche into two vehicles at an intersection in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward on June 9, leaving three people with minor injuries.

Japan will face Brazil in the Round of 32 at Houston Stadium at 2:00 a.m. Japan time on June 30, with Hajime Moriyasu’s side seeking the first knockout-stage victory in the country’s World Cup history against the five-time champions and one of the tournament’s most dangerous attacking teams.

Japan’s political agenda on June 26 was dominated by national security, election regulation and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s push to reshape the country’s long-term economic strategy, as the Diet advanced measures that point to a broader shift in how the government is preparing for defense, technology and political campaigning.

The idea that Japanese conglomerates are pulling IT operations back from India and the Philippines sounds plausible.

Tokyo stocks fell sharply on June 26 as investors locked in profits from Japan’s record-setting AI-driven rally, with SoftBank Group and chip-related shares leading a broad retreat after reports that OpenAI may delay its initial public offering.

Shinjuku Ward, the Tokyo metropolitan government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department have jointly established a Kabukicho measures council to strengthen efforts to prevent young people known as "Toyoko Kids" from being drawn into crime in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district.

Crude oil prices have plunged to the low $70 range per barrel following the signing of a memorandum aimed at ending fighting between the United States and Iran, but while the immediate risk of an energy crisis appears to have eased, economists warn that price increases for electricity, food and everyday goods may still be about to intensify.

Japanese households held 2,386 trillion yen in financial assets at the end of March, up 7.1% from a year earlier, as rising share prices, wider use of the new NISA investment program and the weaker yen lifted the value of assets held by individuals.

Seven chefs tasked with developing athlete menus for the Asian Games opening in September visited a long-established Hatcho miso maker in Okazaki on June 22, as organizers look to promote Aichi’s food culture through fermented seasonings such as miso and soy sauce.

A cross-party national council discussing a reduction in the consumption tax on food will present a draft proposal on June 24 calling for the rate to be lowered to 1% from April next year.

SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son said the company aims to become the world’s leading AI company, outlining a strategy centered on four key fields including physical AI, such as robots equipped with artificial intelligence, and data centers.

The Nikkei Stock Average fell for a second straight session in Tokyo as investors locked in profits from a rapid rally in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares, briefly sending the benchmark down more than 1,300 yen before bargain hunting helped it recover part of the loss.

The Takaichi government said on June 24 that public and private investment in 17 strategic fields, including AI and semiconductors, is expected to exceed 370 trillion yen by 2040, as it seeks to draw out private-sector spending and turn advanced technologies into economic growth.

Japan Access, Japan's leading general food wholesaler, is expanding the potential of food logistics with frozen-to-chilled processing, a system that stores products frozen and thaws them only when orders arrive before shipping them to retailers as chilled goods.

A U.S. family took part in a Japanese school experience program at a former school building in Chiba Prefecture, joining calligraphy, disaster drills, school lunch duty and a sports day-style event in a six-hour program that has attracted more than 200 foreign participants since it began about a year ago.

Hiroji Miyamoto, one of Japan’s leading rock singers, marked his 60th birthday with an appearance on News23, reflecting on a life spent in music and performing the program’s ending theme, "Close Your Eyes," in the studio.