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August 13, 2026
 

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Yoshiaki Nohara
Satellite view of Minamitorishima, part of the Ogasawara Islands.
JAPAN
Aug 13, 2026
U.S. and Japan plan world¡¯s deepest undersea mine to challenge China
A tiny Japanese island sits astride deep-sea rare earth deposits ¡ª ones that could ¡°meet centuries¡¯ worth of industrial demand,¡± a U.S.-Japan statement said.
An advance in Japan's producer price index in July was led by oil and coal products, chemical products and nonferrous metals.
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 13, 2026
Producer price gains maintain pressure on businesses as BOJ mulls rate path
The measure of input prices rose 7.2% in July from a year earlier, slightly slower than the revised 7.3% in June, the Bank of Japan reported Thursday.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda speaks during a news conference after the bank's policy meeting on July 31.
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 10, 2026
BOJ summary flags upside price risks and possible faster hike pace
At its July meeting, the BOJ held its policy rate at 1% and signaled it could possibly raise it in September, saying it¡¯s watching the weak yen¡¯s impact on prices and growth.
Japan's household spending fell 3.3% in June from a year earlier, led by drops in spending on food and apparel, among others.
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 7, 2026
Japan¡¯s households continue to cut spending amid persistent inflation
Outlays by households adjusted for inflation dropped 3.3% in June from a year earlier, compared with a 0.9% increase forecast by economists.
Tokyo's consumer price index excluding fresh food, considered a leading indicator for nationwide price trends, rose 1.9% in July from a year earlier.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 31, 2026
Tokyo inflation up on year for second month, keeping BOJ on rate hike path
The Tokyo consumer price index is considered a leading indicator for nationwide price trends.
A reduction of the sales tax on food has made slow progress as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi opted for multiparty talks that failed to reach a consensus.
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Jul 28, 2026
Takaichi¡¯s long-term vision may fail to dispel inflation angst
The one issue on which voters sought quick and clear action ¡ª a reduction of the sales tax on food ¡ª has made slow progress.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Japan Innovation Party co-leader Fumitake Fujita (second from right) in the parliamentary building on Friday following the enactment of a bill to establish a second capital
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 26, 2026
Takaichi set to face grilling as parliament adjourns
Takaichi is set to appear at the Lower House Budget Committee during a review that follows Saturday¡¯s adjournment of parliament.
The value of Japan's imports rose 25.4% in June from a year ago, as the war in Iran continues to disrupt the country¡¯s energy supplies.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 22, 2026
Japan¡¯s trade deficit widens as yen and Iran war inflate imports
The trade deficit expanded to ?406.9 billion on an unadjusted basis from a revised ?391.8 billion gap in May.
Economic policy minister?Minoru Kiuchi says the way Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is approaching economic and fiscal policy is different from her predecessors.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 7, 2026
Japan is not pushing for low interest rates, economic policy minister says
Investors are still trying to gauge if Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is trying to slow the Bank of Japan¡¯s efforts to raise borrowing costs.
Japan's industrial production in May climbed 0.5% from the previous month as manufacturers were able to cope with the fallout from the war in Iran.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 30, 2026
Japan¡¯s factory output rises as Iran fallout stays manageable
The government says it can secure enough crude oil through March 2028 by cultivating alternative procurements to the Strait of Hormuz.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi aims to put her stamp on Japan¡¯s growth strategy as technological change and geopolitical tensions reshape economic priorities.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 24, 2026
Japan unveils $2.3 trillion investment plan for next 14 years
The roadmap marks a key step in Takaichi¡¯s effort to put her stamp on Japan¡¯s growth strategy as technological change and geopolitical tensions reshape economic priorities.
Bank of Japan Deputy Gov. Ryozo Himino warns that the central bank could be forced to conduct more rapid interest rate hikes later on if it is late with necessary adjustments.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 19, 2026
BOJ¡¯s Himino sees risk of price trend rising above 2% target
The central bank deputy governor warned that it could be forced to conduct more rapid interest rate hikes later on if it is late with necessary adjustments.
The trade balance flipped to a ?378.6 billion ($2.36 billion) deficit in May on an unadjusted basis, according to the Finance Ministry.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 17, 2026
Japan¡¯s trade balance swings to deficit as yen inflates imports
The deficit suggests trade may weigh on growth in the second quarter, when economists largely expect a slowdown due to the impact of the war in Iran.
Real gross domestic product expanded at an annualized pace of 1.8% in the first quarter, down from an initial reading of 2.1%.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 8, 2026
Japan¡¯s growth holds up despite drop in business investment
The economy grew at a still-solid pace at the start of the year even after the turbulence in Iran prompted businesses to cut spending.
Trade minister Ryosei Akazawa attends Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ministerial meetings in the ?eastern Chinese city ?of Suzhou on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 24, 2026
Japan trade minister holds brief talks with Chinese counterpart amid diplomatic row
Trade minister Ryosei Akazawa is the most senior ?Japanese official to visit China since a diplomatic dispute between the two countries erupted in November.
Japan's trade balance in April was a ?301.9 billion ($1.9 billion) surplus on an unadjusted basis, according to the Finance Ministry, remaining in the black unexpectedly on strong exports and a sharp drop in energy imports.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 21, 2026
Japan¡¯s trade surplus remained in the black in April as energy imports plunged
Exports remained robust, with chip exports rising 44% amid strong demand for artificial intelligence-related products.
Spending on food, utilities and clothing also dragged down household spending figure for March.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 12, 2026
Japan¡¯s households cut spending even as wages kept growing
Transportation and communications made up the biggest drag on spending in March, while food, utilities and clothing also weighed on the figure.
Japan's industrial production dropped 0.5% in March from the previous month, as the war in Iran clouded prospects for global demand.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 30, 2026
Japan¡¯s factory output fell in March as Iran war clouded demand outlook
The data reflects a period in flux, with business prospects for manufacturers starting to dim as the impact of the Middle East conflict rippled through the global economy.
Japan¡¯s export growth beat analysts¡¯ forecast in March as demand in China rebounded, while the impact from the Middle East conflict has yet to surface.
BUSINESS
Apr 22, 2026
Japan¡¯s export growth quickened as China returned from holidays
The value of overall exports rose 11.7% in March from a year earlier, accelerating from a revised 4% pace in February.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to reporters Wednesday at the Prime Minister¡¯s Office following an online meeting with Southeast Asian leaders.
JAPAN
Apr 15, 2026
Japan to provide $10 billion to Southeast Asia to secure oil
Sanae Takaichi added that Japan relies on Asian nations to secure medical supplies like surgery gloves.
Gut bacteria may be behind many of Japan¡¯s colorectal cancer cases
A Japanese research team found that a toxin produced by certain E. coli strains, colibactin, caused genetic mutations in nearly half of colorectal cancer cases studied
¡®Total whiplash¡¯: Foreign residents react to Japan¡¯s changing permanent residency rules
The entrance to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward, Tokyo, in March. For some foreign residents of Japan, tightening measures for permanent residency have become one factor in a broader calculation over whether remaining in the country makes financial sense over the long term.
She is Russia¡¯s richest woman. Her business empire is going up in flames.
Tatyana Kim, the head and co-founder of Wildberries, speaks about Ukrainian drone attacks on the company's warehouses in the course of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, at an unidentified location, in this still image from a handout video released on July 31.
Severe tropical storm Chan-hom makes landfall near Tokyo
Severe Tropical Storm Chan-hom made landfall around Ibaraki Prefecture, near Tokyo, on Tuesday night.
What Japan¡¯s language rules for permanent residency should look like
Potential health care workers hoping to find work in Japan take Japanese language instruction in Jakarta. Not all applicants for permanent residency should be expected to reach this level of proficiency.
Forty-five meters down, a diver races to record a fleeting moment of WWII history
Kingo Wakasa photographs the kamikaze plane wing section he discovered at the USS Emmons wreck site.
Ikarigata closer to emulating older brother Fujinokawa than many think
The future Fujinokawa (third from left) and Ikarigata (right) compete against each other at ages 5 and 3, respectively.
Where do foreign residents in Japan want to die?
The Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery is one of the few cemeteries in Japan that allows burials, albeit with conditions for the deceased, including foreign nationality and permanent residency in Kanagawa Prefecture.
¡®Total whiplash¡¯: Foreign residents react to Japan¡¯s changing permanent residency rules
The entrance to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward, Tokyo, in March. For some foreign residents of Japan, tightening measures for permanent residency have become one factor in a broader calculation over whether remaining in the country makes financial sense over the long term.
As Japan¡¯s concrete jungles sizzle, urban forestry offers an all-natural fix
People and birds find relief from the sun in Tokyo's Nakano Ward earlier this month. While experts agree that urban greening is crucial to mitigating the impact of climate change, trees are becoming even more scarce in Japanese cities.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

Disaster relief workers Taichi Kato (left) and Seiji Yoshimura enter the collapsed living quarters at Kyuganji temple in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture.
What Kumamoto revealed about Japan¡¯s earthquake readiness
By Alex K.T. Martin

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