Condominium prices continue to surge across Japan, prompting renewed debate over whether the market will cool and how households should navigate the choice between buying and renting. A detailed analysis from housing loan comparison service MogeCheck highlights the factors driving prices upward, the limits of proposed regulations, and the shifting landscape of mortgage options.

A dramatic shift is beginning to unfold in software development as AI transforms programming into an everyday skill that no longer requires specialist expertise, a trend highlighted in a forthcoming set of 2026 technology forecasts compiled by Nikkei BP.

A woman in her 40s who was scheduled to perform at a live house in Akasaka was stabbed in the abdomen and other areas on November 16th, leaving her seriously injured, and new information indicates that the man who attacked her had changed his shoes near the scene roughly two hours before the assault.

China’s backlash to Prime Minister Takaichi’s comments on a Taiwan contingency has intensified day by day, with the Chinese military now uploading a series of satirical illustrations to social media depicting a figure believed to be Takaichi.

A man who hid his face from cameras as he was escorted by police at the Tokorozawa Police Station in Saitama was among the suspects arrested on suspicion of theft. Police say he and three others allegedly broke a window and entered a vacant home in Hitachi City in August 2025, where they stole wristwatches and other items valued at about 15,000 yen.

Japan’s nationwide consumer price index excluding fresh food rose 3.0 percent in October compared with the same month a year earlier, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, with the pace of inflation expanding for the second consecutive month as the index reached 112.1 and broad-based price revisions pushed up the cost of food items across the country, including a 53.4 percent jump in coffee beans and a 40.2 percent rise in rice that continued the upward momentum seen since the autumn.

Kusama Richard Keita (29) has announced that he is leaving the idol group Aぇ! group. Kusama, who made his debut with the group in May 2024, decided to withdraw after being arrested in October in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward on suspicion of exposing his lower body, a case that later led to a summary indictment on charges of public indecency.

A series of arrests involving Japanese nationals overseas is drawing renewed attention to the expansion of special fraud rings, with on-the-ground reporting in Cambodia revealing the presence of hidden power brokers whose influence is believed to extend into the country’s political establishment. As scam groups establish bases across Southeast Asia, new details are emerging about how these networks operate and why Japanese citizens have become prime targets.

Generative AI continues to evolve at astonishing speed, raising both expectations and concerns about a future in which machine intelligence surpasses human capability, and according to Shota Imai, a 31-year-old visiting professor at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology who is emerging as one of the country’s leading young AI researchers, the question now is how closely AI’s value systems can be aligned with those of humans, as breakthroughs since the arrival of ChatGPT push society into uncharted territory.

Apple’s position in the global race for artificial intelligence is increasingly in focus as questions continue to surface over whether the company has fallen behind Google and Microsoft, and how it compares with Nvidia, now one of the world’s most powerful semiconductor makers.

A craze for puffy, glossy Bonbon Drop Stickers is spreading rapidly among elementary and junior high school students, turning these colorful seals into one of the most sought-after items of the season while also emerging as an unexpected communication tool for families.

Childcare workers in Saitama, a prefecture popular among families for its convenient access to central Tokyo, are increasingly leaving for jobs in the capital due to a growing wage gap, creating deep concern in communities that border Tokyo.

China’s Communist Party–affiliated Global Times reported on its front page this morning that it had “demanded a clear explanation from the Japanese side” regarding the discussions held on the previous day, underscoring Beijing’s position that Tokyo must address the issue directly.

The three-day weekend beginning on November 22nd is expected to bring mostly clear skies across much of the country as Japan comes under the influence of a high-pressure system, with cooler air affecting only the northern regions on the first day and comfortable conditions likely to continue in eastern and western Japan.

Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has announced that the country’s main crop rice harvest for the 2025 season is expected to reach 7.468 million tons, marking an increase of 676,000 tons from the previous year and representing growth of roughly 10 percent.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has decided to introduce routine vaccination for pregnant women as early as April 2026 to protect newborns from the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, which can lead to severe symptoms in infants.

The Real Estate Companies Association of Japan has drafted a policy that would prohibit the resale of condominium units before they are handed over to buyers, an effort aimed at curbing speculative short-term flipping that has been cited as one factor behind the sharp rise in condominium prices.

Core machinery orders — a leading indicator of private-sector capital investment — rose in September, with the Cabinet Office reporting that orders excluding ships and electric utilities climbed 4.2 percent from the previous month to roughly 920 billion yen. It marked the first increase in three months.

Although the winter weather pattern is easing today on November 19th, bringing clear skies to some regions, forecasters warn that coastal areas may still face sudden bursts of rain, snow, and severe convection driven by rapidly developing thunderclouds.

Tensions between Japan and China showed no sign of easing on November 18th after bureau-level talks in Beijing, where the Chinese side again demanded that Prime Minister Takaichi retract a parliamentary remark regarding a Taiwan contingency, prompting a firm rebuttal from the Japanese delegation.

The animated film ‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Part 1 – Akaza Returns’ has become the first Japanese production in history to surpass 100 billion yen in global box office revenue, while Bandai Namco Holdings has revised up its profit outlook on the back of strong performances from the ‘Mobile Suit Gundam’ series. With 46 years having passed since the first Gundam aired, the question now is why the franchise continues to grow.

Takaichi’s administration is moving closer to finalizing its economic package aimed at easing the strain of rising prices, with the government preparing a set of measures that include a gasoline tax cut, fresh investments across 17 priority fields and expanded subsidies for electricity and gas bills.

Japan’s traditional employment practices are once again under scrutiny as debate intensifies over so-called “do-nothing middle-aged workers,” with critics arguing that long-standing structural issues in hiring, promotion, and job assignment have allowed a segment of workers to lose motivation while remaining in secure positions.

Autumn seems to be passing quickly this year, with peak foliage arriving almost before many have had time to notice. To help readers avoid missing the season’s highlights, reporters visited some of the best spots now at their most vibrant.

A strong winter-pattern pressure system drove the season’s coldest air across the country on November 18th, making snow and rain more likely along the Japan Sea coast while bringing heavy snow and blizzard conditions to parts of northern Japan, with temperatures falling sharply nationwide and even areas that see sunshine experiencing a biting northerly wind.