News On Japan

Ex-PM Abe shooter faces additional charges of making gun, damaging building

Feb 13 (Kyodo) - Police on Monday referred a man, indicted for murdering former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, to prosecutors for allegedly making a gun and damaging a building by test-firing it, according to investigative sources.

The additional allegations against 42-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami are expected to cap police investigations into the deadly incident last July that shook the entire nation and the events that led up to it while its aftershocks continue reverberating.

Yamagami is believed to have test-fired a weapon at a facility in Nara connected to the Unification Church on July 7, a day before the fatal shooting, in addition to making handguns and gunpowder without authorization, they said. ...continue reading

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An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed at a poultry farm in Eniwa City, Hokkaido, prompting authorities to begin culling operations on Sunday afternoon.

Japan’s worsening bear problem has prompted calls for national intervention, but legal and operational barriers have complicated the government’s response. In 2025, bear attacks have reached record levels, leaving 12 people dead—double the previous high of six fatalities in 2023.

Kyoto’s prized bamboo shoots, a seasonal delicacy that graces dining tables each spring, are facing an unprecedented crisis this year. The culprit is the Chinese bamboo moth (Sinachiku nomeiga), whose larvae feed on bamboo leaves, weakening the plants and severely reducing harvest yields.

Halloween Eve in Shibuya still drew a festive atmosphere, with people gathering in costume and enjoying the night. Tokyo police deployed several hundred officers, including the well-known “DJ police,” to manage the crowds and prevent congestion at the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing.

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping stood side by side before the cameras on October 31st at 5 p.m. for a moment that drew intense attention. “Hello, please this way,” said Xi as the two leaders exchanged a handshake lasting roughly 10 seconds in front of their national flags. Takaichi’s expression was stiff at first but softened slightly into a faint smile, while Xi’s face remained largely unchanged.

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A suspicious package was discovered at Keihan Railway’s Chushojima Station in Kyoto on November 1st, prompting police to investigate the possibility of an explosive device.

A truck that had fallen into a river in the town of Okoppe on the Sea of Okhotsk side of Hokkaido was found on the morning of November 2nd, with the body of a man discovered inside.

Halloween Eve in Shibuya still drew a festive atmosphere, with people gathering in costume and enjoying the night. Tokyo police deployed several hundred officers, including the well-known “DJ police,” to manage the crowds and prevent congestion at the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing.

A man accused of killing and injuring four family members with a crossbow in Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture, was sentenced to life in prison on October 31st, after the Kobe District Court rejected the prosecution’s demand for the death penalty.

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 trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, the 45-year-old accused of fatally shooting former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, began on October 28th at the Nara District Court. While Yamagami has admitted to killing Abe, the central issue now lies in determining his sentence.

The traditional ritual of Paantu, in which masked gods covered in mud ward off evil spirits, took place on October 28th in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture, filling the village with laughter and screams.