News On Japan

2023 Lexus IS500 V8 to be built in right-hand drive – for Japan

Despite claims the IS500 would only be for North America, rumours suggest the V8-powered sedan is coming to Japan in right-hand-drive... but not Australia.

Jul 18 (drive.com.au) - The 2023 Lexus IS500 is expected to be announced for the Japanese market this week.

Lexus teased a photo of its IS sedan on social media late last week, with local media reporting the premium brand will soon launch a V8-powered IS500.

The IS500 made its debut in North America in early 2021, with Drive told at the time the model will “only [be] produced in left-hand-drive”.

It appears that has since changed, with Creative Trend reporting the IS500 F Sport Performance First Edition is set to be produced in a limited run for the right-hand-drive Japanese market.

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Bear attacks are reaching unprecedented levels across Japan, with a record 12 fatalities so far this year as sightings continue daily from mountain towns to city centers, disrupting schools and local institutions.

Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward has installed barricades around the Hachiko statue in front of Shibuya Station as part of safety measures ahead of Halloween on October 31st.

The Liberal Democratic Party, Nippon Ishin no Kai, and Komeito have reached an agreement on the framework for Japan’s new free high school tuition program, which will begin in fiscal 2026. Under the plan, tuition support for private full-time high schools will be capped at 457,000 yen, while correspondence courses will have an upper limit of 337,000 yen.

Bear sightings have surged across Japan, and in Gifu Prefecture’s Shirakawa Village—home to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Shirakawa-go—local authorities held a nighttime drill on October 28th to prepare for possible emergencies.

The Japan Mobility Show opened on October 29th, marking the start of Japan’s premier automotive exhibition, where foreign manufacturers are stepping up their entry into the country’s growing electric vehicle (EV) market.

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In a quiet neighborhood of Osaka stands a four-story building with around 40 rooms. Yet more than 100 companies are registered there, despite the absence of any visible workers.

Two tea buyers from London arrived in Fukuoka on October 28th to explore the unique appeal of Yame tea, one of Japan’s most celebrated green teas. The visit, organized by Fukuoka Prefecture as part of efforts to expand agricultural exports, aimed to introduce the rich aroma and depth of Yame tea to the United Kingdom, a nation long associated with black tea culture.

The Japan Mobility Show opened on October 29th, marking the start of Japan’s premier automotive exhibition, where foreign manufacturers are stepping up their entry into the country’s growing electric vehicle (EV) market.

The Nikkei Stock Average closed at 50,512 yen on October 27th, surpassing the 50,000 mark for the first time in history and setting a new all-time high. The benchmark index rose 1,212 yen from the previous trading day, driven by strong gains across sectors.

McDonald's Japan announced it will phase out the use of paper straws and introduce new lids that allow customers to drink directly from the cup without a straw starting on November 19th.

More homebuyers in Japan are turning to ultra-long housing loans, with some mortgages now stretching as long as 50 years as buyers try to keep monthly payments down in the face of sharply higher construction costs.

A subsidiary of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), a leading chipmaker, signed a location agreement with Kikuyo Town in Kumamoto Prefecture on October 24th for the construction of its second factory in Japan.

As anticipation builds for the Japan Mobility Show 2025, set to open at Tokyo Big Sight from October 30th to November 9th, Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda has announced a sweeping reorganization of the automaker’s brand strategy. The company will redefine its group structure, including Daihatsu, into five distinct brands, with its flagship luxury car, the Century, becoming a fully independent marque.