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June 30, 2026
 

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Yukana Inoue
A fan watches Japan's World Cup match against Sweden on a smartphone in Tokyo on Friday.
BUSINESS
Jun 29, 2026
World Cup offers chance to find right broadcasting balance for fans in Japan
The diversification of broadcasting methods for soccer, such as online streaming, could be a potential for further growth for the sport.
A Japan Meteorological Agency official in Tokyo explains on Thursday about the two tropical storms approaching Japan.
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2026
Heavy rain continues across country with two approaching tropical storms
Central Japan Railway said the Tokaido Shinkansen may be delayed or suspended Saturday, while East Japan Railway warned of possible regular train line delays over the weekend.
A map depicting the paths of Tropical Storm Mekkhala and Tropical Storm Higos
JAPAN
Jun 25, 2026
Two storms approach Japan, with possible convergence complicating forecasts
If Tropical Storm Mekkhala and Tropical Storm Higos meet, they could act unpredictably — diverging, moving in succession, or merging into one storm.
The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan has issued a warning over a rise in air conditioner repair scams.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jun 23, 2026
Consumer affairs watchdog raises alarm over air conditioner repair scams
The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan is urging people to be on alert for offers to repair broken air conditioners that sound too good to be true.
Although paper customs forms are still available in many cases, it is no longer standard practice to hand them out on all flights.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 22, 2026
Japan to fully digitalize airport customs system by 2030
The phasing-out of paper customs declaration forms is among measures eyed by the Finance Ministry to handle the inbound movement of people and goods more efficiently.
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in March. Various cities around the world have cracked down on private lodgings, such as in Barcelona where the city is attempting to eradicate all short-stay apartments by 2028.
JAPAN
Jun 19, 2026
Japan to allow local governments to ban private lodging
The move comes amid complaints of lodgers partying at night, ignoring trash rules, and leaving cigarette butts on the streets.
Students at the campus of Harvard University. Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike on Tuesday announced a scholarship for top-level students who are looking to pursue higher education abroad.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 17, 2026
Tokyo launches scholarship program for students bound for top global universities
Only students with Japanese citizenship who are currently enrolled in a Tokyo metropolitan high school and reside in the city are eligible to apply.
A Studio Ghibli store in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture. Studio Ghibli will open a pop-up store in Los Angeles later this month, bringing a wide selection of merchandise to the U.S. for the first time.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 17, 2026
Studio Ghibli to open its first U.S. pop-up store in Los Angeles
Called “Donguri Republic in Los Angeles,” the store will be opened for six months from June. 23 to Dec. 31.
Only 102 new bookstores were opened in Japan during fiscal year 2025, which began in April last year, while 499 shops closed.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 16, 2026
Number of bookstores in Japan drops below 10,000 for the first time
Japan had 9,993 bookstores as of the end of March 2026 — just over 40% of its peak in fiscal year 1998.
Hikers walk past a bear warning sign in the Okutama area in western Tokyo on Sunday as local authorities urge visitors to take precautions following increased reports of bear sightings in the region.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Jun 16, 2026
Why more bears are entering urban areas
Five deaths have already been reported this year as of the beginning of June, with bears showing a growing willingness to roam closer to where people live.
Many older adults in Japan want to continue working as a way to earn money and stay healthy.
JAPAN
Jun 12, 2026
Nearly 40% of older adults in Japan want to keep working
The main motivation cited was the need to earn an income, followed by the notion that working helps maintain health and slow down aging.
Last year, the number of bear-related deaths in Japan hit a record high of 13. Bear sightings also set a new record.
JAPAN
Jun 9, 2026
Dayslong bear hunt in Tochigi Prefecture capital ends with animal’s capture
The city of Utsunomiya had been on high alert following reports of a bear sighting near schools and residential areas since the weekend.
Low income, difficulties meeting a partner and balancing work with raising a child are some of the factors playing a role in Japan's declining fertility rate, the Children and Families Agency said.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 3, 2026
Japan’s births hit new low, but drop less severe than previous years
The 2.2% decrease in the number of births recorded in Japan was a relatively modest drop compared to the year-on-year 5% decline seen over the past several years.
Japan's population saw the largest decline on record in 2025, but Tokyo continued to mark a rise in the number of residents.
JAPAN
May 29, 2026
Japan’s 2025 census reflects steepest fall in population on record, data shows
Preliminary data shows the nation’s headcount shrank 2.5%, the third straight decline in the nationwide survey conducted every five years.
A new agreement between the National Police Agency and nine major banks will allow prefectural police to inquire about specific bank accounts thought to be involved in fraud schemes and quickly freeze them.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
May 28, 2026
NPA inks agreement with major Japan banks to hasten special fraud response
The shift from physical mail to digital requests will allow authorities to freeze accounts receiving fraud proceeds more quickly.
The 18-year-old daughter of former Yomiuri Giants manager Shinnosuke Abe said she consulted ChatGPT before reporting an alleged altercation with her father to a child guidance center.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
May 27, 2026
Former Giants manager’s daughter consulted ChatGPT before reporting altercation
Shinnosuke Abe resigned from his position Tuesday following his arrest on suspicion of physically assaulting his daughter.
With the proliferation of smartphones and growth of an internet-savvy generation, the application pool for dodgy jobs posted on social media or apps like Timee — which matches companies with job-seekers for one-off jobs — began to skew younger.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / FOCUS
May 26, 2026
Why youths have become central to tokuryū crimes
The easy recruitment of younger people online has driven a shift from fraud to robbery, sometimes leading to murder.
A teenager (center, wearing sandals) arrested for his involvement in a murder-robbery case is sent to prosecutors on May 16 in the city of Shimotsuke, in Tochigi Prefecture.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / FOCUS
May 22, 2026
Tochigi murder-robbery case reflects ‘tokuryū’ adapting to crackdowns
In typical schemes, hired perpetrators are strangers to one another, but due to crackdowns on online recruitment, many are turning to word of mouth and familiarity.
The Metropolitan Police Department discovered the lower half of a human body on Tuesday, approximately 100 meters off a hiking trail in Nippara, in the town of Okutama, located on the outskirts of western Tokyo.
JAPAN
May 20, 2026
Possible fatal bear attack reported in mountains of western Tokyo
If confirmed, the incident in the mountains of Okutama would mark Tokyo’s first recorded fatal bear attack since at least 2006.
A multilingual system in a Lawson store
BUSINESS / Tech
May 19, 2026
Lawson testing new multilingual system to help tourists make purchases
The trial run was launched on March 24 and will continue until the end of this month at three of their stores in Tokyo.
Uruguay federation reportedly cancels charter flight after World Cup exit
Uruguay's Jose Maria Gimenez reacts after the team's loss against Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday.
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
India’s gig workers pay the price for exposure to New Delhi’s hazardous air
Rohit Kushwaha waits for a customer as he delivers his last parcel of the day, in New Delhi in January. His work as a delivery driver has helped pay the family’s bills, but has had a significant impact on his health.
Chinese and Russian bombers and fighter jets stage joint patrol near Japan
A Chinese Air Force H-6 bomber is seen during a joint patrol with Russian military aircraft on Saturday.
U.S. missile moves in Japan send China clear message: A new era has arrived
Soldiers conduct the first Typhon midrange capability live-fire exercise outside of the continental United States, firing an SM-6 missile in July last year in Australia's Northern Territory during Exercise Talisman Sabre.
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
A French ship with close ties to Japan combines arts and sciences on the high seas
Romain Troublé, the executive director of Tara Ocean Foundation, speaks to visitors aboard the Tara during a rare port call in Tokyo in April.
LGBTQ+ families are building lives Japanese lawmakers still struggle to see
Haru Ono founded Nijiiro Kazoku in 2010 after forming a same-sex stepfamily. She said the impetus for founding the organization was that she couldn’t find much reliable information out there for families such as hers in Japan.
In Kyushu’s far south, Senti.U sparks a culinary destination
Chef Yasuhiko Uchida was born in Saga Prefecture but has made his home in Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture, since 2012.
‘The colors speak for themselves’: How Japan’s chroma bible went global
“A Dictionary of Color Combinations” is meant to function as a quick-reference guide for artists, designers and anyone with a passing interest in aesthetics as a quantifiable pursuit.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
By Alex K.T. Martin

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