News On Japan
September 01, 2026
TOKYO - A tropical depression south of Japan is expected to develop into Typhoon No. 24 by September 1 and could approach the Japanese archipelago later in the week, raising the risk of renewed warning-level rainfall and widespread flooding in Hokuriku and heavy rain in the Kanto and Tokai regions.
Image of Typhoon No. 24 Expected to Approach Japan Later This Week

Universal Studios Japan is considering its first expansion since opening in 2001, with plans to use about 60,000 square meters of former Nippon Steel factory land adjacent to the park and potentially increase its total area by roughly 10%.

Japan will lower the statutory speed limit on certain residential roads from 60 kilometers per hour to 30 km/h from September 1, with police in Hyogo Prefecture urging drivers to familiarize themselves with the new rules and drive more carefully in neighborhood areas.


SOCIETY | September 01, 2026
OSAKA - Police forces across Japan are struggling to recruit enough officers, with the number of people taking police recruitment examinations falling to less than half the level of a decade ago and concerns growing that persistent staffing shortages could eventually affect public safety.
Image of Japan's Police Officer Shortage Deepens

A fire broke out at a shopping arcade near Ise Jingu in Ise, Mie Prefecture, on the afternoon of August 31, sending red flames and thick black smoke into the air as firefighters continued battling the blaze with no immediate prospect of bringing it under control.

About one in three unmarried young people in Japan say they have no intention of marrying, according to the first large-scale survey of young people conducted by the Children and Families Agency, with financial insecurity emerging as the biggest perceived obstacle to marriage.

Eleven passengers were rescued from an attraction at Legoland Japan in Nagoya on August 30 after a door failed to open, leaving them trapped for about 30 minutes, with no injuries or reports of illness.

Guests were evacuated from a restaurant at Tokyo Disneyland on August 30 after smoke emerged from a customer's bag, with police investigating a mobile battery inside the bag as the suspected source.


NARA - Officials in Nara are urging visitors to treat the city's famous deer with care and respect as tourist numbers rise and the autumn mating season approaches, when male deer can become particularly aggressive.
Image of Visitors Urged to Respect Nara Deer as Mating Season Begins

Osaka Metro began testing an artificial intelligence-powered humanoid robot at Umeda Station on August 31, using the machine to provide passengers with transfer directions and information on nearby tourist attractions as the railway operator explores ways to ease staffing shortages.

Adventure World in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, has announced the final name for one of its 19 emperor penguins, completing a public naming campaign that attracted more than 30,000 submissions.

A new large ferry linking Maizuru in Kyoto Prefecture with Otaru in Hokkaido has been unveiled ahead of its first voyage on September 1, offering spacious passenger facilities and a journey time of about 21 hours.

New Chitose Airport is transforming into a destination for travelers and local visitors alike after passenger numbers reached a record 26 million in 2025, with new direct flights to North America, upgraded security facilities and a major anime-themed commercial area planned for summer 2027.


TOKYO - The leaders of the Centrist Reform Alliance, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito have agreed to abandon plans to merge their three parties, leaving the Centrist Reform Alliance effectively split.
Image of Three Opposition Parties Abandon Merger Plans

Japan is moving to strengthen its defenses against mass drone attacks after Terra Drone became the sole company to advance through a Defense Ministry program for a Japanese-made interceptor drone, drawing on battlefield technology and production methods developed in Ukraine while pushing for domestic production of critical components.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi moved on August 28 to contain market concern over her government’s spending plans, saying Japan will aim to cap new government bond issuance at around 40 trillion yen in the fiscal 2027 budget while still pursuing food-tax relief, growth investment and measures to support households facing higher prices.

Japan has drawn up a new policy package aimed at strengthening energy security in response to developments in the Middle East, including support for alternative oil pipelines that would bypass the Strait of Hormuz and greater use of nuclear power to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.


Japan byFood and Shizuka are back with Worth The Trip the series where we will discover food spots in Japan that are actually worth traveling for! This time we are going to award-winning eats around Tokyo under one rule – we can only eat for $10 or around ¥1,600 yen.

The Japan Sumo Association announced the rankings for the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on August 31, with last tournament's champion Aonishiki returning to ozeki after two tournaments and taking the second position on the east side of the rankings.

When it comes to your proxy server, you should treat it as you would any security endpoint. If your proxy credentials are leaked, someone else can use your traffic, burn your IP reputation, or even gain access to your scraping infrastructure.

Japan's education ministry unveiled a draft of its new national curriculum guidelines on August 31, placing stronger information education for the AI era and greater flexibility in allocating classroom hours among the central pillars of the major overhaul carried out roughly once every decade.


BUSINESS | September 01, 2026
TOKYO - Honda and Nissan Motor have agreed to jointly develop an operating system and onboard computers for next-generation vehicles, aiming to introduce the technology in new models from fiscal 2029 as they seek to compete with U.S. and Chinese automakers.
Image of Honda and Nissan Agree to Jointly Develop Vehicle Operating System

Japan began producing a commemorative 1,000-yen silver coin marking 100 years since the start of the Showa era at the Japan Mint in Osaka on August 31, with a first-striking ceremony held to mark the start of production.

Tokyo stocks ended mixed on August 31, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 66,311.93, down 93.63 points, or 0.14%, after briefly plunging more than 1,500 points in early trading, while the broader TOPIX rose 9.58 points, or 0.23%, to 4,156.29 for its eighth straight gain.

Japan's benchmark long-term interest rate briefly climbed to 2.95% on August 31, its highest level in about 30 years, as investors sold government bonds on expectations of further Bank of Japan rate increases, rising U.S. yields and concerns over the outlook for government spending.

Curry restaurant chain CoCo Ichibanya will introduce a late-night surcharge for the first time from September 1 and raise prices on a dozen toppings as higher ingredient, packaging and labor costs put pressure on operations.