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June 19, 2026
 

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Yukana Inoue
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 ¡ª 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 ¡ª which matches companies with job-seekers for one-off jobs ¡ª began to skew younger.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / FOCUS
May 26, 2026
Why youths have become central to ³ÙŽÇ°ì³Ü°ù²âš± 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 ¡®³ÙŽÇ°ì³Ü°ù²âš±¡¯ 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.
Kaito Takemae (center front), a suspect in a robbery-murder case in Kaminokawa, Tochigi Prefecture, is sent to prosecutors from a police station in Sakura, Tochigi Prefecture, on Monday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
May 18, 2026
Couple thought to be masterminds behind Tochigi murder-robbery arrested
Police believe ³ÙŽÇ°ì³Ü°ù²âš± quasi-gangsters were involved in Thursday¡¯s murder-robbery in Tochigi Prefecture, and they suspect there are other masterminds beyond the couple.
The culture agency is looking to pass the copyright revision in the current parliamentary session ending in July and aims to have the law take effect within the next three years.
JAPAN / Society
May 15, 2026
Copyright law revision to extend compensation for artists
The Cabinet on Friday pushed forward the bill, which, once passed by parliament, aims to pass on usage fees to musicians.
Japan implemented a new system in April that penalizes minor bicycle traffic rule violators with a "blue ticket" that carries a fine of up to ?12,000.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
May 14, 2026
Cyclists issued ¡®blue tickets¡¯ in over 2,000 cases since April 1 rollout
The new tickets incur fines of up to ?12,000 for traffic rule violations, with the aim of improving cycling safety and preventing accidents.
Many municipalities across Japan say buzz online and anxiety over the situation in the Middle East has led to people panic buying garbage bags.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
May 13, 2026
Designated trash bags run low in Japan as fears grow over supply shortages
Reports of a naphtha shortage have driven some to hoard city-designated trash bags needed in some areas to dispose of waste.
Asian black bear sightings reached an all-time high of 50,776 in fiscal 2025, the environment ministry announced Monday.
JAPAN / Society
May 12, 2026
Black bear sightings in Japan more than doubled in 2025
The total number of deaths caused by bear attacks in fiscal 2025 was 13, the highest in recorded history.
The plan is meant to improve customer convenience as well as reduce the workload of bank employees, with banks tending to be understaffed, especially in rural areas.
BUSINESS / Tech
May 8, 2026
FSA to develop AI agent to help with customer service at regional banks
The aim is to improve customer convenience as well as reduce the workload of bank employees, with banks tending to be understaffed, especially in rural areas.
¡®Customer harassment¡¯ continues in Japan despite moves to end it
A "customer harassment" prevention awareness poster at the entrance of an Aoki Super supermarket in Aichi Prefecture
Onitsuka Tiger pivots from Asics stripes to tap luxury market
An Onitsuka Tiger store in the Omotesando district of Tokyo. The footwear brand prepares to transform into a luxury lifestyle label distinct from Asics.
Starbucks in South Korea to close all stores early for history training
Activists put stickers on an image of Shinsegae Chairman Chung Yong-jin during a rally calling for a boycott of the Starbucks coffee chain in Seoul on May 27.
Tokyo launches scholarship program for students bound for top global universities
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.
Prices of chicken and eggs in Japan hit record highs
The national average price of a packet of 10 eggs stood at ?309, matching the highest level marked in March and May.
Music Awards Japan levels up and looks ahead
Kaze Fujii received a second consecutive album of the year award for ¡°Prema,¡± his English-language debut, at the Music Awards Japan ceremony.
Cultural aspects dominate coverage as sumo enthralls Paris
<i>Yokozuna</i> Hoshoryu waves to reporters during a news conference at the Japanese Culture House of Paris on June 11.
Japan steps on the gas in unprecedented regional defense export push
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi walks with his Indonesian counterpart, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, as the two inspect an honor guard during a welcome ceremony in Jakarta on May 4.
As his centennial nears, Osamu Tezuka gets a global reintroduction
Seen here in an archival shot, Osamu Tezuka&#039;s influence on Japanese anime has been monumental.
Why more bears are entering urban areas
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.

Podcast

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

Longform

Social camouflaging can help neurodivergent people navigate social situations, but researchers say the effort often comes with significant emotional and mental strain.
The challenge of being neurodivergent in Japan¡¯s culture of conformity
By Tomoko Otake

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