In Japan, real wages in November, adjusted for price fluctuations, fell 2.8% from the same month a year earlier, marking the 11th consecutive month of decline.
Economic circles in Japan are growing increasingly uneasy after the Chinese government announced a blanket ban on exports to Japan of dual-use goods that could be diverted for military purposes, raising concerns that rare earths could be included in the scope of the restrictions.
New vehicle sales by six Japanese automakers in the United States rose 2.4% from the previous year to 6,023,492 units in 2025, the companies announced on January 5th, as demand remained firm despite higher tariffs introduced under the Trump administration, with three manufacturers surpassing their year-earlier results.
Goldman Sachs, a major U.S. financial institution, is reportedly planning to launch a new fund focused on real estate investments in Japan, according to Bloomberg.
Japan’s long-term interest rates climbed to their highest level in roughly 27 years, with the yield on newly issued 10-year government bonds briefly reaching 2.125% on January 5th, marking the highest level since February 1999.
Liveliness returned to Japan’s top tuna landing port as the first tuna auction of the year was held in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture, where prayers were offered for a safe and abundant fishing season.
Japan, known as one of the world’s longest-living nations, is seeing its elderly population continue to grow, with people aged 65 and older now accounting for a record 29.3 percent of the population, an increase of around 20,000 from the previous year.
The Japanese stock market is entering a new phase as investors look ahead to 2026 following a volatile but ultimately strong year in 2025, when the Nikkei index briefly approached the 50,000-yen level.