News On Japan
June 14, 2025
The Pension System Reform Law was passed and enacted at the Upper House plenary session on June 13th with majority support from the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito, the Constitutional Democratic Party and others. The law includes measures to expand the coverage of employee pensions by removing the so-called 1.06 million yen income barrier, revising the in-service old-age pension system that reduces pension benefits for working seniors, and raising the cap on employee pension insurance premiums for high-income earners.
Image of Japan Approves Pension Reform

A veterinarian in Mie Prefecture has died after treating a cat infected with Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS), a disease transmitted by ticks and other vectors.

Riding a bicycle while holding an umbrella, a practice often seen during the rainy season in Japan, poses significant danger as it becomes more frequent with the arrival of June rains.


SOCIETY | June 14, 2025
The family of an elderly man who died after a key was discovered lodged in his throat while he was hospitalized in Osaka has filed a lawsuit against the hospital, alleging negligence in handling the object.
Image of Family Sues Hospital After Key Found in Throat of Elderly Man

A car collided with a tour bus on the Fuji Subaru Line near Mount Fuji, leaving six foreign nationals injured. The accident occurred shortly after 10 a.m. on June 11th near the fourth station of the Fuji Subaru Line in Narusawa Village, Yamanashi Prefecture.

Japan produces approximately 35,000 adult videos every year, including those streamed online, making it one of the largest adult video industries in the world. (Japanese Comedian Meshida)

Illegal logging linked to construction projects has been uncovered in Kutchan, Hokkaido, with the cleared forest area reaching approximately 3.9 hectares. In the Tasumi district at the foot of Mount Yotei, a person believed to be of Chinese descent and a construction company had been carrying out logging and building activities since at least 2023.

Two teenagers have been arrested in Tsushima City, Aichi Prefecture, for allegedly firing an airsoft gun at an elementary school boy riding a bicycle.


Mii-dera, located in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, spans a vast area equivalent to about ten Koshien Stadiums. Known for the "Evening Bell of Mii," one of Japan's three most famous bells, the temple grounds also house numerous national treasures and important cultural properties.
Image of Mii-dera: Japan's Grand Temple with National Treasures and Historic Architecture

At the Osaka-Kansai Expo site, Legionella bacteria have been detected at levels 20 times higher than the safety standard, but subsequent countermeasures failed to curb the outbreak, with the bacteria further multiplying to 53 times the standard.

JR East has announced plans to introduce a new overnight limited express train connecting the Tokyo metropolitan area with the northern Tohoku region, including Aomori and Akita, by spring 2027. The new train will feature all-private rooms and a fully flat layout, with some cabins accommodating up to four passengers.

A ceremonial ritual to carry sacred timber into the Ise Grand Shrine’s Inner Shrine was held on June 9th in preparation for the next Shikinen Sengu in 2033, when the shrine buildings are reconstructed once every 20 years.

Okinawa has entered summer faster than ever before. The Japan Meteorological Agency announced around 11 a.m. on June 8th that the region is believed to have ended its rainy season—marking the earliest such declaration since records began in 1951.


Fraudulent listings posing as sales of the highly popular Nintendo Switch 2 are spreading across flea market sites. Although these posts appear to be selling the Switch 2 console, the description often notes that it is simply a "photo of the Japan-only model." Priced at 53,500 yen, these listings may only deliver the photograph instead of the actual console.
Image of Nintendo Switch 2 Resale Scams Surge on Flea Market Sites

A stop-motion animation series starring My Melody and Kuromi, two globally popular Sanrio characters, is born! (Netflix Anime)

Kazunari Ninomiya, 41, will star in the upcoming film Exit 8, a live-action adaptation of a popular horror game set in an endlessly looping underground passage. A new teaser video and a message from Ninomiya have been released ahead of the film’s August 29th premiere.

In this video, we take a look at the June performances at the Kabuki-za. (Kabuki In-Depth)


In Fukuoka City, a photo of a school lunch consisting of just one piece of fried chicken has been widely shared on social media, drawing public attention. In response, the city has launched a project involving external experts to consider improvements in the appearance and overall presentation of school lunches.

As local news coverage continues to expand, offering more practical information closely tied to residents' daily lives, attention turns to a feature marking eighty years since the end of the war. With fewer people remaining who can speak from personal experience about the Battle of Okinawa, the question of how to preserve and pass down these memories has become increasingly urgent.

Amid rising rice prices, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi has stirred debate by floating the idea of emergency rice imports. This is not his first confrontation with Japan’s powerful agricultural cooperatives. Nearly a decade ago, Koizumi attempted major reforms of JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperatives), only to face fierce resistance from entrenched interests within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

A Saudi Arabia-backed startup has acquired the Pokémon GO game business, underscoring growing global interest in Japan-origin intellectual property (IP) and its international expansion prospects.


BUSINESS | June 14, 2025
A special feature focuses on central banks, markets, and politics from the perspective of over 30 years of experience, with veteran economist Ueno Yasunari offering his insights.
Image of Central Banks and Markets: A Perspective of Over 30 Years

Former President Trump stated on June 12th that the United States holds a "golden share" in US Steel, in connection with Nippon Steel's planned acquisition of the company.

Seven-Eleven has revived its popular 100 yen rice ball promotion starting today, marking the first time in five years it has launched such a campaign despite soaring rice prices.

Hino Motors and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation, two of Japan’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, have reached a long-delayed final agreement on their management integration.

As government rice stockpiles went on sale in Fukuoka, long lines formed outside stores even before opening hours. At the Mega Don Quijote in Nishi Ward, customers queued early on June 9th to purchase the reserve rice, with distribution beginning at 7 a.m.