[updated 10:50 p.m.] Typhoon Jangmi (Typhoon No. 6) continued to disrupt transport across eastern Japan late on June 3rd, although many major rail and air services began shifting into recovery mode after the storm moved away into the Pacific, with nearly 900 flights canceled during the day, several regional railway lines still suspended, and operators warning that delays and reduced services could linger into June 4th.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced on June 2nd that it is considering imposing an additional 12.5% tariff on Japan, arguing that the country's measures to prevent the import of products made with forced labor are insufficient.

Quantum computing is attracting growing attention from investors as governments around the world increase support for the technology, raising expectations that it could become the next major investment theme after artificial intelligence.

Mr. Akazawa Ryosei, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), said after a Cabinet meeting on June 2nd that Japan expects to secure the crude oil it needs in June through alternative procurement and previously approved reserve releases, without deciding on a third round of state oil reserve releases in May, while also stressing that naphtha supply is expected to remain at levels close to a normal year.

The leader of the Democratic Party for the People, Yuichiro Tamaki, suggested on June 2nd that his party may oppose a bill drafted by the Liberal Democratic Party to establish a new criminal offense for desecrating the national flag, arguing that it could unduly restrict freedom of expression.

Food price increases in Japan are accelerating, with the number of products subject to higher prices this year potentially reaching 20,000 items as rising costs linked to tensions in the Middle East spread through supply chains and place additional pressure on household budgets.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced on June 2nd that the government will significantly strengthen supplies of paint thinner and other chemical products by allowing raw materials to be supplied directly from petroleum refiners, a measure expected to support supply capacity equivalent to 1.8 times normal annual demand as Japan continues to monitor the impact of tensions in the Middle East on domestic supply chains.

Toyota Motor will suspend production at 13 domestic factories on June 3rd as Typhoon No. 6 approaches Japan, with the company prioritizing the safety of employees and contractors as severe weather is expected to affect a wide area from western to eastern Japan.

[updated 13:30 p.m.] Typhoon No. 6 is expected to move close to southern Kyushu on June 2nd before tracking near the Pacific coast from western to eastern Japan on June 3rd, bringing the risk of severe weather, torrential rain, powerful winds, and dangerous waves. Forecasters warn that some areas could receive an entire month's worth of rainfall within a short period, raising concerns over landslides, flooding, and swollen rivers.

The latest film by Hirokazu Kore-eda, Sheep in the Box, opened in Japan on May 29th after being screened in the Competition section at the Cannes Film Festival, bringing to the screen a near-future story about a grieving couple who welcome into their home a humanoid modeled on their deceased seven-year-old son.

Emperor Naruhito visited the Iwabuchi Floodgate on Tokyo's Arakawa River by boat on June 1st, inspecting one of the capital's most important flood control facilities.

Former XG producer SIMON, whose real name is Junho Sakai, received a suspended prison sentence on June 1st after being convicted of using cocaine.

ENEOS Holdings, Japan's largest oil refiner, is accelerating its push overseas as it seeks to raise the share of revenue generated outside Japan from roughly 20% today to 50% in the future, according to President Tomohide Miyata, who outlined the company's growth strategy in an extended interview that was not fully aired on TV Tokyo's World Business Satellite (WBS).

The Japan Housing Finance Agency announced on June 1st the interest rates that will apply in June for Flat 35, Japan’s long-term fixed-rate housing loan program.

A black-and-white version of Calbee's popular Kappa Ebisen snack has appeared on supermarket shelves in Tokyo as concerns over the supply of printing materials linked to Middle East tensions ripple through Japan's food industry, while more than 1,000 food products are set to become more expensive in June.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held a telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on June 1st, urging Iran to demonstrate maximum flexibility in its ongoing discussions with the United States and expressing hope that an agreement on the nuclear issue can be reached as soon as possible.

More than 400 flights were canceled across Japan on June 1st as Typhoon No. 6 battered Okinawa, shutting down airports, suspending public transportation, and prompting warnings that rail and air travel disruptions could spread to western Japan in the coming days. More than 130 cancellations have already been announced by JAL and ANA for June 2nd.

An Indonesian bus driver working in Tokyo says language barriers and differences in communication styles remain among the biggest challenges facing foreign workers in Japan, highlighting the importance of support from employers and colleagues as the country increasingly relies on overseas labor.

As Japan grapples with rising energy costs linked to the prolonged crisis in the Middle East, the government is urging businesses and households to improve energy efficiency, placing renewed attention on a futuristic manufacturing model known as the "dark factory."

Japan's restaurant industry is facing growing uncertainty after the government suspended the acceptance of new foreign workers under the Specified Skilled Worker visa program for the food service sector, a move that is affecting businesses, language schools, and students who had hoped to build careers in Japan.

A Japan Airlines passenger aircraft that made an emergency landing after suffering a tire malfunction has prompted the discovery of runway damage at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, with authorities now investigating whether the two incidents are connected.

Former Digital Minister Masaaki Taira, who oversees cybersecurity and artificial intelligence policy within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said Japan still has opportunities to compete in the rapidly evolving AI sector, despite the dominance of major U.S. and Chinese developers.

SoftBank Group announced on May 31st that it will build a data center in France dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI), with total investment potentially reaching approximately 14 trillion yen.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi renewed her determination to resolve the long-standing abduction issue involving North Korea on May 30th, declaring her willingness to pursue a summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as families of the victims gathered in Tokyo to demand the return of their loved ones.

This week, the explore Kawatake Mokuami's 1881 sewamono drama Kiwametsuki Banzui Chōbē ("The Renowned Banzui Chōbē"), revised in 1891 by his student, Kawatake Shinshichi III. (Kabuki In-Depth)