Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced on Monday that she will dissolve the House of Representatives on January 23rd, the opening day of the regular Diet session, and hold a snap general election with voting set for February 8th.

Japan’s long-term interest rates, which directly influence fixed mortgage borrowing costs and broader financing conditions across the economy, continued their rapid climb and reached the 2.35% range on January 20th, marking the highest level in roughly 27 years as investors grew increasingly uneasy about Japan’s fiscal outlook and stepped up bond selling amid political pledges for consumption tax cuts that some market participants believe could become permanent.

Japanese police-related replica goods are being widely listed on Chinese flea market sites as “cosplay items,” including uniforms that closely resemble the real thing, raising concerns they could be used for crimes such as fraud.

Japan’s rural relocation boom is accelerating as more families look beyond city life in search of space, community, and a fresh start, even as concerns over jobs, convenience, and fitting into tight-knit local networks continue to hold many back.

Japan’s long-term interest rates continued to climb on growing concerns over worsening public finances, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond rising above 2.2%, marking its highest level in roughly 27 years.

Japan’s two-day nationwide university entrance exam has concluded without major disruption, even after introducing its first online application system and requiring students to print their own admission tickets.

Today, we explore the January performances by young actors at the Asakusa Kōkaidō in Tokyo! (Kabuki In-Depth)

Today, I’m going behind the counter at Shifuku Shokudo, a family run teishoku restaurant in Tokyo’s Kichijoji area that serves around 150 meals a day.

In the year 2026, the concept of scarcity for assets like Bitcoin, gold, and silver has evolved beyond traditional boundaries of supply constraints.

Dozens of suitcases lined the shelves of a police warehouse near Narita Airport, with around 200 pieces of luggage being stored after being left behind inside the airport, highlighting a growing problem that has become increasingly visible across Japan.

Former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has decided not to run in the next House of Representatives election and intends to retire at the end of his current term, with a formal announcement expected on January 17th.

JR East suspended services on the Yamanote Line and the Keihin-Tohoku Line for more than eight hours from the first trains of the day due to a power outage, severely disrupting the morning commute and affecting more than 673,000 passengers.

Asahi Beer’s sales in December fell by more than 20% from a year earlier, as the effects of a prolonged system disruption continued to weigh on shipments.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaiichi formally informed senior ruling-party officials on the evening of January 15th of her intention to dissolve the lower house, pushing Japan decisively into full election mode, only for political dynamics to shift again the following day when the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito announced they had agreed to form a new political party.

The suspect, surrounded by police officers, is seen in footage taken immediately after his arrest for allegedly stabbing two men who came to his apartment, in an incident that left one dead and another injured.

Winter delicacy scallops are facing an unprecedented crisis, with mass die-offs reported at major producing areas across Japan, a development that is now rippling through restaurants in Tokyo.

Bitcoin's trajectory is showing promising signs of significant growth, with projections suggesting a possible 50% price increase by March, as its correlation with gold diminishes.

The long-delayed extension of the Hokkaido Shinkansen to Sapporo is facing further setbacks, with the opening now pushed back by more than a decade and total project costs projected to more than double, even as construction steadily advances on the ground.

Japan has long held a reputation for maintaining traditional relationship structures where men tend to be older than their female partners.

JR East and Japan Airlines have launched a joint logistics service that relays cargo between bullet trains and aircraft, aiming to shorten transport times for fresh products.

Japan’s stock market extended its rally as election-related buying and a weaker yen pushed the Nikkei Average to a record close above the 54,000 mark for the first time.

The annual New Year imperial poetry ceremony, known as Utakai Hajime, was held at the Imperial Palace, where Princess Aiko’s waka poem was recited publicly for the first time and Prince Hisahito made his debut appearance at the traditional event.

Hiroshi Kume, a leading figure in Japanese television as both a program host and news anchor, has died at the age of 81, his agency announced. His wife, Reiko, said he “remained true to himself to the very end,” while fellow performers including Tetsuko Kuroyanagi expressed their sorrow at his passing.

Water erupted from near the ceiling of an underground passage inside Tokyo Metro’s Kasumigaseki Station in Chiyoda Ward at around 6:00 p.m. on January 14th, in what the operator believes was caused by a burst water supply pipe.

Sleep scientist Masashi Yanagisawa, a professor at the University of Tsukuba, offers explanations to common sleep-related concerns gathered from people on the street. People’s question: Is it better for sleep to take a shower or soak in a bath?