Toyota Motor has decided to halt development of the LF-ZC, a next-generation electric vehicle planned under its Lexus luxury brand, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Japan’s largest space business exhibition opened at Tokyo Big Sight on May 27th, showcasing a growing wave of companies from outside the traditional aerospace sector entering the rapidly expanding space industry.

Fujitsu announced its long-term management vision through fiscal 2035, unveiling plans to invest approximately 3 trillion yen over the next decade in growth businesses centered on artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and other advanced fields as it seeks to significantly boost profitability.

A large solar power facility built on a mountainside in Fukushima City is generating reflected sunlight for far longer than originally projected, with a city survey finding that glare at some locations lasted up to 53 minutes per day—more than ten times the maximum duration predicted by the operator.

Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno apologized on May 29th after confusion spread over a new policy that will allow some medical institutions to charge cancellation fees for missed appointments from June, stressing that the fees will apply only in limited cases.

Japan is facing a growing transportation dilemma. While a record number of foreign visitors in 2025 has fueled congestion and traffic jams in major cities and tourist destinations, many rural communities are grappling with the opposite problem: shrinking populations and aging residents are making it increasingly difficult to maintain public transportation services.

Japan has enacted legislation allowing a sharp increase in fees charged to foreign residents for immigration procedures, with the cost of applying for permanent residence expected to rise from the current 10,000 yen to around 200,000 yen once the new system is implemented.

Volleyball player Shunichiro Sato, a member of Japan’s men’s national team, was arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion of possessing marijuana after allegedly leaving a bag containing the drug at a pachinko parlor in Tokyo.

Fixed-rate mortgage costs in Japan are set to rise again in June as the country's five major banks increase home loan rates in response to higher long-term interest rates, with their flagship 10-year fixed-rate mortgages rising to preferential rates of 3.27% at Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, 3.5% at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and 3.25% at Mizuho Bank.

Japan's population stood at 123.05 million in 2025, according to preliminary results from the national census released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, marking a decline of 3.097 million people over the past five years.

Japan's declining population is set to trigger another review of single-seat electoral districts for the House of Representatives, with new census data highlighting widening disparities in voter representation and adding momentum to discussions over reducing the number of lawmakers.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said on May 27th that Japan's economy is facing an "oil price shock" as tensions in the Middle East drive up crude oil prices, speaking at an international conference hosted by the central bank.

The route dispute surrounding the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Osaka has been thrown back into uncertainty, with the long-discussed "Obama-Kyoto Route" effectively returned to square one as ruling coalition lawmakers consider eight alternative plans, including a route via Maibara Station in Shiga Prefecture.

Finland is positioning economic resilience as a core pillar of national security, with Finnish Economic Affairs Minister Sakari Puisto emphasizing closer cooperation with Japan in advanced technologies, supply chain security and dual-use industries during a recent visit to Tokyo.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on May 28th, agreeing to upgrade bilateral ties as the two countries deepen security cooperation in response to growing regional and global challenges.

Born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a rare disorder that makes bones fragile and prone to fractures, Toshiya Kakiuchi built a company with a mission to transform both the physical and emotional barriers faced by people with disabilities.

The “naphtha shortage” triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East is now spreading into Japan’s housing industry, with shortages of paint, thinner, insulation materials and other building products forcing construction delays across the country.

The National Police Agency announced on May 28th that it will launch a new framework in cooperation with nine financial institutions aimed at rapidly tracing money stolen through special fraud schemes and other scams, as damages from such crimes reached a record high last year.

Toyota Motor has notified the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of a recall affecting about 43,300 vehicles across six models, including the Land Cruiser, after instrument panels were found to sometimes fail to start properly when the engine is turned on, causing parts of the display not to appear.

Typhoon No. 6 (Chanmii) was moving northward east of the Philippines as of 3 a.m. on May 28th, with forecasters warning the storm could intensify significantly and approach Okinawa and the Amami region early next week before potentially turning toward mainland Japan.

A new travel style known as “Otetutabi,” which combines short-term work with tourism, is rapidly gaining attention across Japan as both travelers and local businesses search for new ways to address changing social and economic realities.

Japan will begin trial sales of the world’s first fully farmed eels for consumers on May 29th, marking a major milestone for the aquaculture industry as domestic eel prices have already fallen by about 40% from a year earlier.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, who are visiting Japan as state guests, were welcomed by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the Imperial Palace at around 9:30 a.m. on May 27th during an official welcoming ceremony.

A law creating the National Intelligence Council to strengthen the Japanese government's intelligence-gathering and analysis capabilities was passed and enacted at a plenary session of the House of Councillors on May 27th.

Japan will begin rolling out a major overhaul of its disaster weather information system from the afternoon of May 28th, reorganizing warnings and advisories to make it easier for residents to understand when they should evacuate.