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Elizabeth Beattie
Haneda Airport's international departure lobby in April 2023. Under U.S. President Donald Trump, travelers and immigrants have been scrutinized more aggressively.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 10, 2025
U.S. may require tourists to disclose social media history to customs
The U.S. is planning to require all foreign tourists to disclose five years of their social media history under a new proposal for enhanced border security.
Apart from Japan, women-only carriages can also be found in Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Mexico and Taiwan, among others.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 26, 2025
U.K. woman’s petition to bring women-only train carriages to London gains traction
Camille Brown, a student in London, said the successful introduction of the measure in cities such as Tokyo creates safer commuting options for women.
Attackers calculate that more staff will be out of the office during the holiday seasons and so choose that time to strike, the CEO of a cyber resilience security and training platform says.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Nov 25, 2025
Japanese companies should be vigilant against cybercrime holiday uptick
As employees plan their holidays, cybercriminals plot to exploit staffing disruptions.
Hosei University President Diana Khor, who herself was an international student, aims to encourage students to look outward and cultivate a global mindset.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 20, 2025
First foreign president of Hosei University looks abroad for change
Diana Khor, who was an international student herself, aims to encourage students to look outward and cultivate a global mindset.
The Asahi, along with the Nikkei and the Yomiuri Shimbun, filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court against Perplexity in August.
JAPAN / Media
Nov 14, 2025
AI poses threat to journalism in Japan, news association chair says
Japan’s publishers are concerned about the impact generative artificial intelligence is having on the news business, Shiro Nakamura said.
Florist Nicolai Bergmann shops for fresh flowers at the Ota flower market in Tokyo on Friday.
LIFE / Style & Design
Nov 11, 2025
Florist Nicolai Bergmann flourishes outside the box
“The flower business, as I see it, has no limits,” says the Danish florist famous for creating the “flower box” 25 years ago.
Tokyo has a gross domestic product of $2.55 trillion, just ahead of New York’s $2.49 trillion and Greater Los Angeles’ $1.62 trillion, according to CEOWorld’s global wealth index.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 10, 2025
Tokyo ranked world’s richest city by GDP, with Osaka-Kobe also rated highly
The Japanese capital excelled thanks to its “operational excellence, technological sophistication, and disciplined economic governance,” according to a recent report.
Helle Kristoffersen, Asia president of French oil and gas conglomerate TotalEnergies, speaks at a session of the French Japanese Business Summit on Thursday in Tokyo.
BUSINESS
Nov 7, 2025
Japan’s energy import strategy compelling for landlocked European nations
Europe has grappled with energy security following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Guests typically follow Ryo Ito’s lead as he weaves through the narrow, colorful aisles of convenience stores.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 2, 2025
The unstoppable rise of konbini tourism
Japan’s convenience stores, with their myriad products and services as well as creative hacks, have proven to be a hit with travelers.
Despite responders to a Japan Press Research Institute survey ranking newspapers as among the most trustworthy sources, readership was in decline.
JAPAN
Oct 30, 2025
Online news increasingly consumed despite being viewed with skepticism
While online news was the most accessed news source, in terms of trustworthiness, it trails behind traditional media sources.
KDDI said its AI service, which will be launched in spring 2026, will “protect the rights of content providers.”
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 29, 2025
KDDI enters into ‘responsible’ AI agreement with Google
The “responsible” AI service would only shows content that creators have given consent to.
A screenshot of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's international schools portal site
JAPAN
Oct 24, 2025
Tokyo launches English-language international school database
The initiative is intended to further improve the living environment for residents whose first language is not Japanese.
North Korean IT workers have been identified working in Japan, the U.S., the United Arab Emirates and Ukraine, using a strategy to secure employment and remit earnings back to North Korea.
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Oct 23, 2025
North Korean agents in Japan’s anime industry part of sophisticated sanctions evasion
A cross-border sanctions monitoring effort between Japan and 10 other countries has sounded the alarm on North Korea’s sanctions evasion tactics in a detailed report.
A recent cyberattack on brewer Asahi Group Holdings resulted in the company suspending shipments.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 22, 2025
AI-optimized cybercrime increasingly targeting Japan
Many of the attacks originate in China, using underground marketplaces that sell access and sensitive data to other cybercriminals.
In Japan, 55% were “equally concerned and excited” about the rise of AI in daily life, while 28% were “more concerned than excited.”
BUSINESS / Tech
Oct 20, 2025
Japan leads in in-depth AI awareness, new global study finds
The survey also found that In Japan, 55% were “equally concerned and excited” about the rise of AI in daily life, while 28% were “more concerned than excited.”
Sora 2, a short-form video app made by OpenAI, enables users to create realistic AI videos with text prompts, but critics say that there are insufficient guardrails — from a lack of copyright consideration to families of public figures upset by the reanimation of their loved ones.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 16, 2025
Japan’s government asks OpenAI to seek permission amid Sora 2 copyright concerns
Sora 2 enables users to create realistic AI videos with text prompts, but critics say that there are insufficient guardrails.
Pace Japan Vice President Kyoko Hattori, the de facto head of the nation’s business, believes a larger, more lucrative art market will allow Japan to be more attractive for collectors.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 14, 2025
Pace eyes great strides for Japan’s art market
One of the largest art galleries in the world wants to turn the country into the center of Asia’s art scene.
The University of Tokyo in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward
JAPAN
Oct 10, 2025
University of Tokyo lands its highest spot ever in global higher education ranking
Rising to 26th from 28th last year, the University of Tokyo remains the sole Japanese university to crack the top 50 in the Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings.
Japan’s government set a target of 60 million annual foreign visitors by 2030, but many businesses involved with tourism are already struggling with skilled worker shortages.
BUSINESS
Oct 10, 2025
Japan set to be most impacted by tourism labor shortages globally, report shows
The country will see a 29% shortfall in necessary labor in 2035, according to the Future of the Travel & Tourism Workforce report.
OpenAI has rolled out a social app powered by Sora 2, its artificial intelligence video generator, which was quickly flooded with videos featuring iconic Japanese intellectual property.
BUSINESS / Tech
Oct 7, 2025
OpenAI’s Sora 2 is drowning in Japanese ‘AI slop’
Iconic Japanese characters are prevalent across Sora 2, but legally, this places the company on shaky ground.

Longform

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