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.

Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, attended a performance of the traditional Japanese court music art known as gagaku.

Japan’s hotel industry appears to be thriving as a surge in inbound tourism drives accommodation prices in popular destinations to record highs. Yet domestic travel demand has remained sluggish, while labor shortages and rising construction costs have made new hotel development increasingly expensive.

American crude oil secured as an alternative supply source has arrived in Japan for the first time, as the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz makes procurement from the Middle East increasingly difficult.

Japan is often known for its culture, safety, and high trust society, but behind the scenes, it also has one of the strictest immigration systems in the world. (Paolo fromTOKYO)

Businesses worldwide are grappling with a growing concern: will artificial intelligence take away human jobs? Yet in the United States, recent developments suggest a more complex reality. Job openings for software developers have been rising since around November 2025, according to U.S. employment site Indeed.

Don Quijote has opened the first outlet of its new grocery-focused retail format, Robin Hood, entering an increasingly competitive supermarket market where major players are racing to attract cost-conscious consumers.

A 41-year-old pediatrician was arrested on suspicion of trespassing after allegedly entering the ceiling space above an on-call room at a hospital in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, police said.

Japan is not like other markets. Brands that try to copy-paste their Western influencer strategies here will struggle. Japanese consumers have unique platform preferences, cultural expectations, and engagement patterns that require a localized approach.

Japan has enacted a revised Passport Act that will sharply reduce passport application fees from July 1, as the government seeks to encourage more citizens to obtain passports.

The first tanker carrying U.S. crude oil procured by Japan as an alternative supply source after the attacks on Iran is set to arrive on April 26, as the government moves to stabilize energy supplies and prepares a second release of national petroleum reserves.

All Nippon Airways is considering introducing a fuel surcharge on domestic flights as early as the next fiscal year, amid surging fuel costs driven by tensions in the Middle East.

Japan's House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill to establish a National Intelligence Council aimed at strengthening the government's intelligence-gathering and analytical capabilities.

Honda said it expects to post its first net loss since going public in the fiscal year ending March 2026, underscoring the heavy cost of its abrupt retreat from electric vehicle expansion.

Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on April 22 presented a draft outline of key issues to an expert panel examining protections for minors on social networking services, taking a cautious stance toward blanket age-based access restrictions that have been increasingly introduced overseas.

Japan is turning to foreign workers to address a deepening shortage of bus drivers that has led to route suspensions and reduced services nationwide, including in Tokyo. With the industry projected to face a shortfall of 36,000 drivers by 2030, operators are beginning to recruit and train overseas talent as a short-term solution to keep public transport running.

Fraud cases involving criminals impersonating police officers are increasing across Japan, with a new tactic emerging in which fake arrest warrants are mailed directly to victims' homes.

The Emperor and Empress hosted the annual Spring Garden Party on April 17 at Akasaka Imperial Garden in Moto-Akasaka, Tokyo, welcoming around 1,400 guests including gold medalists from the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, distinguished figures from various fields and local government representatives.