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December 07, 2025
 

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Yukana Inoue
Nearly 1 in 5 of those who said they smoke also said they wanted to quit, a health ministry survey has found.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Dec 3, 2025
Japan sees drop in regular smokers, national health survey finds
Nearly 1 in 5 of those who said in the health ministry's annual survey that they smoke also said they wanted to quit.
To prevent the spread of the flu, measures such as wearing a mask are recommended.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Dec 2, 2025
Japan¡¯s flu season comes early as new variant spreads
The risk of developing severe symptoms from "Subclade K" is no higher than other strains, but its continued spread is expected.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends a ceremony Monday in Tokyo after her comment referring to her determination to work hard as president of the Liberal Democratic Party was awarded buzzword of the year for 2025.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 1, 2025
Takaichi¡¯s work ethic sound bite wins Japan¡¯s buzzword of the year
¡°Work, work, work, work and work¡± was named 2025¡¯s buzzword of the year.
NHK¡¯s crackdown is part of an effort to reduce the number of users who are currently watching NHK channels and accessing news on its website without paying its mandatory subscription fee.
JAPAN / Media
Nov 25, 2025
NHK moves to crack down on free riders
The public broadcaster is requiring users to log in to its news website to access all of its content and has set up a new team to collect reception fees.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture
JAPAN
Nov 21, 2025
Niigata approves restart of world¡¯s largest nuclear power plant
The resumption of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant¡¯s No. 6 reactor would be a major development for Japan as it re-embraces nuclear power and reduces reliance on fossil fuels.
A view of Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward at night. Last year in Japan, 66 people were put in protective custody as victims of human trafficking. Among them, 58 ¡ª including all 41 minors ¡ª were Japanese nationals. International pressure to act on human trafficking led Japan to make efforts to crack down on the crime, such as a tightening of conditions in 2005 for entertainer visas.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / FOCUS
Nov 19, 2025
The reality of human trafficking in Japan
Its shifting nature, as well as the ever-changing demographics of potential victims, make it hard for authorities to crack down on trafficking.
Economic security minister Kimi Onoda speaks during a group interview in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 18, 2025
Economic security minister stresses crackdown on rule-breaking foreign nationals
Kimi Onoda says she is committed to implementing stricter management of non-Japanese workers and land acquisitions by foreign nationals.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara (second from left) addresses a ministerial meeting on bear attacks at the Prime Minister's Office on Friday.
JAPAN
Nov 14, 2025
Government launches emergency bear attack prevention plan
Many of the proposed measures focus on increasing personnel and resources for bear management and culling.
Police cars leave the Akita Prefectural Police headquarters to cull bears, in the city of Akita on Thursday.
JAPAN / Explainer
Nov 13, 2025
As attacks surge, who can cull bears in Japan?
In Japan, few people typically own guns, and the process to qualify for a license to hunt the animals takes time and effort.
Shohei Ohtani (left), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (center) and Roki Sasaki of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate in the locker room after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in Game 7 to win the 2025 World Series at Rogers Center in Toronto, on Nov. 2.
BASEBALL / MLB
Nov 12, 2025
Ohtani, Yamamoto and Sasaki generate ?132.8 billion in economic impact
Merchandise sales, broadcasting rights and the popularity of the players are all thought to have contributed to the high number.
A farmer harvests rice in a field in Chikusei, Ibaraki Prefecture, on Oct. 9. Prices will most likely remain in the ?4,000 range for 5 kilograms?of the grain at least until the 2026 harvest is released next summer.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Nov 12, 2025
New Cabinet searches for effective rice policy amid resurging prices
Officials are considering the distribution of ¡°rice tickets¡± to make the nation¡¯s staple grain more affordable for certain households.
New guidelines are addressing struggles by teachers to deal with the burden of parents who make irrational complaints that go beyond what is considered socially acceptable, often referred to as "monster parents," which is overwhelming their workload.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 10, 2025
Tokyo looks to keep ¡®monster parents¡¯ at bay with new protocols
Measures from limiting the duration of meetings to having a lawyer handle complaints aim to protect teachers from irrational requests and abusive behaviors.
Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
JAPAN / Society / Longform
Nov 9, 2025
Japan¡¯s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years
A surge in bear attacks in Japan may be nothing new, revealing a complex mix of ecology, policy and culture.
Officials set up traps to capture bears in the city of Kazuno, Akita Prefecture, on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 2025
GSDF deployed to Akita Prefecture amid rise in bear attacks
Troops will assist in the setting up of traps in the prefecture, though they are not permitted to help cull the bears themselves.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends a ministerial meeting on policies regarding foreign nationals and immigration on Tuesday at the Prime Minister's Office.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 4, 2025
Takaichi leads first ministerial meeting on policies regarding foreign residents
The government envisions a tougher crackdown on visa overstayers, as well as on foreign residents who fail to pay social insurance premiums.
A SpaceX Super Heavy booster carrying the Starship spacecraft lifts off on its 11th test flight at the company's launch pad in Starbase, Texas, on Oct. 13.
JAPAN / Science & Health / FOCUS
Oct 31, 2025
International collaboration seen as key to commercial space tourism in Japan
When it comes to furthering the potential of future space travel, Japan is behind countries like the U.S., making collaboration essential.
A bear roams around a field in the town of Kuzumaki, Iwate Prefecture, on Oct. 12.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 30, 2025
Japan¡¯s government ramps up bear control efforts amid rise in attacks
With the move, which pulls together more agencies than have previously been involved, authorities hope to cull bears that enter residential areas more quickly and accurately.
The most common factor behind work-related mental health issues in Japan is ¡°relationships with people,¡± a government white paper on death by overwork found.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 28, 2025
Record number of applicants seek compensation for job-related mental stress
Despite efforts to reduce overtime hours and workplace harassment in Japan, a white paper released Tuesday shows the problems remain persistent.
The health ministry's Suicide White Paper for 2024 has found that numbers for both men and women peak at age 21, with ¡°concerns over future career paths¡± being identified as the most likely cause.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 24, 2025
Number of suicide cases among students in Japan hits record high in 2024
The figure for those in their 20s also remained high, underscoring the need to beef up care for the younger generation.
Kimi Onoda, economic security minister and minister for harmonious coexistence with foreign nationals, arrives at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 23, 2025
New ¡®immigration minister¡¯ post signals Takaichi Cabinet¡¯s priorities
The creation of a new post specifically for handling foreign residents shows how immigration is a key policy focus for the Takaichi Cabinet.
Trump security strategy demands more from Japan while unveiling ¡®burden-sharing network¡¯
U.S. President Donald Trump makes a speech aboard the USS George Washington aircraft carrier during his visit to the U.S. Navy's Yokosuka base in Kanagawa Prefecture on Oct. 28.
Spotlight shines on humanoid robots at Tokyo show
A representative from Noitom Robotics demonstraties remote robot operation at the iREX International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo on Friday.
Japan¡¯s bear-related casualties hit record on escalating attacks
Bear bells are displayed for sale at a souvenir shop at Shirakawa-go, a popular tourist spot and one of Japan's UNESCO World Heritage sites, in the village of Shirakawa, Gifu Prefecture, on Nov. 15.
Suspected ³Ù´Ç°ì³Ü°ù²â¨± masterminds in Tokyo-area robberies arrested
Takuya Saito, 26, is one of four men arrested by Japanese police on Friday on suspicion of masterminding a series of robberies in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Average price of rice in Japan hits new record high
In the week ended last Sunday, the average price of rice sold at about 1,000 supermarkets across Japan rose by ?23 from the previous week to ?4,335 per 5 kilograms.
Will Takaichi bank on her high approval ratings to call a snap election?
While media polls show a high support rate for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi¡¯s Cabinet, the support for the LDP is not as great, meaning there¡¯s no guarantee of a coattail effect if a snap poll is called.
¡®Black Box Diaries¡¯ is Shiori Ito¡¯s unflinching case for the truth
¡°Black Box Diaries¡± documents Shiori Ito¡¯s legal case, while also showing her thoughts and feelings through journal style videos she recorded herself.
Kashima or Kashiwa: J. League title chase goes down to the wire
Kashima's Yuma Suzuki (center) takes a shot during a game against Kashiwa in March.
2025 was the year Japan¡¯s box office returned
In 2025, ¡°Demon Slayer¡± and ¡°Kokuho¡± broke box-office records, while films such as ¡°Renoir,¡± A Pale View of the Hills¡± and ¡°Two Strangers, Two Seasons¡± garnered acclaim on the international film festival circuit. The year¡¯s biggest loss was the death of Tatsuya Nakadai, an highly regarded actor who had worked with nearly all of the top directors of Japanese cinema¡¯s postwar golden age.
The key points under discussion on policies affecting foreign nationals
Visitors head to Shirakawago, a popular tourist spot, in Gifu Prefecture in November.

Podcast

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

Longform

Yumi Matsutoya began her decades-long career under her maiden name, Yumi Arai, but Japanese fans might know her better as ¡°Yuming.¡±
Yumi Matsutoya¡¯s human touch in an AI age
By Patrick St. Michel

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