A large and powerful Typhoon No. 4, internationally named Sinlaku, was located near the Mariana Islands and moving north-northeast as of the latest update. The storm is expected to gradually shift its course eastward and pass southeast of the Ogasawara Islands around April 18, before making its closest approach around April 19.
Japan will release around 50 million stockpiled medical gloves from next month as concerns grow over shortages of medical supplies linked to tensions in the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said.
A species of poppy containing narcotic compounds was found earlier this week standing alone among about one million nemophila flowers in full bloom at Uminonakamichi Seaside Park in Fukuoka City.
Thirteen Japanese men detained last month at a fraud base near Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, were transferred to Japan on Thursday and arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion of fraud. It marks the first time Japanese nationals have been apprehended in a special fraud case operating out of Indonesia.
A woman accused of conspiring with a fortune teller to forge a suicide note belonging to a male follower was handed a suspended prison sentence on April 15th, in a case linked to the alleged coercion of two men into taking their own lives.
The morning commute was disrupted on April 13th when a Turkish man entered railway tracks in Aisai City, Aichi Prefecture, leading to a suspension of train services for about one hour.
Spending by foreign visitors to Japan from January to March rose 2.5% from a year earlier to 2.3378 trillion yen, the Japan Tourism Agency said, marking the third-highest quarterly total on record, while the number of inbound visitors in March increased 3.5% to 3,618,900, setting a new record for the month.
Passengers will be limited to carrying no more than two mobile batteries on board aircraft, with in-flight charging effectively prohibited under new regulations taking effect on April 24th, following a series of smoke and fire incidents.
The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route connecting Toyama and Nagano fully reopened on April 15th, marking the start of the spring tourism season along one of Japan’s most celebrated mountain routes.
The Japan Meteorological Agency announced it will significantly revamp its disaster-related weather information system from April 28th, introducing a new category called “Danger Warning” in addition to existing warnings and advisories.
Prime Minister Takaiichi met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on April 15th, marking their first summit talks, where the two leaders agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" amid growing global security tensions.
Yonaguni Town Mayor Tsuneo Uechi met Defense Minister Koizumi on April 13th and conveyed his intention to accept the deployment of a missile unit at the Yonaguni garrison, marking a shift in his previously neutral stance on the issue.
As temperatures rise and early signs of summer begin to appear, chilled tofu is once again gaining attention, with silken varieties offering a lighter, vitamin-rich option while firm tofu provides higher protein and calcium for building strength.
Japan's medical sector is facing an acute shortage of nurses, triggering a wave of ward closures and even hospital shutdowns. Once regarded as an admired profession and often described as 'angels in white,' nurses are now under mounting strain from long working hours and wages many say do not match the demands of the job.
Tokyo metropolitan authorities on Friday began a trial use of AI-based tree inspections at Kinuta Park in Setagaya Ward after a series of fallen trees since last month raised safety concerns.
The fleet of 190 EV buses introduced for the Osaka-Kansai Expo has been withdrawn from plans for reuse on regular routes, with Osaka Metro abandoning efforts to redeploy the vehicles after the event.
Tokyo’s and Osaka’s flagship theme parks are both marking their 25th anniversaries this year, raising expectations that milestone celebrations could provide a boost to visitor numbers and earnings.
As tensions in the Middle East continue, 42 vessels linked to Japan remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, raising concerns over supply chains for naphtha, a key raw material used in plastics and coatings, with manufacturers warning that prolonged disruptions could drive up prices for everyday goods and housing materials.
The Japan Painting Contractors Association has requested the government to secure stable supplies of materials, warning that concerns over shortages of paint and thinner derived from naphtha have become increasingly severe.
Crude oil futures surged sharply as concerns over supply disruptions intensified amid renewed uncertainty surrounding the situation in Iran, pushing prices above $105 per barrel on April 12th and driving Japan long-term interest rates—represented by the benchmark 10-year government bond yield—to their highest levels in nearly three decades.