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July 30, 2026
 

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History
Who are the former royals who may be reinstated to the imperial family?
JAPAN / Explainer
Who are the former royals who may be reinstated to the imperial family?
A proposal to allow the reinstatement of former male royals along the male line of the imperial family through adoption is being considered by policymakers.
JAPAN / Explainer
How the Iran crisis affects Japan
With the Strait of Hormuz still closed, nearly a fifth of the world¡¯s oil exports are being kept from reaching their destinations.
JAPAN / Explainer
How to prepare when Japan is under an earthquake advisory
Authorities in Japan are urging residents from Hokkaido to Chiba Prefecture to be ready in case a major earthquake strikes, following Monday¡¯s magnitude 7.7 jolt.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi
JAPAN / Explainer
Dec 3, 2025
Takaichi¡¯s Taiwan tumult: A closer look at the Japanese leader¡¯s contentious remarks
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
The prime minister¡¯s remarks about a Taiwan emergency have caused a diplomatic uproar, sending Japan-China ties to new lows.
With the government's integration of health insurance with My Number cards, conventional health insurance cards will no longer be accepted at clinics and hospitals across Japan from Dec. 2.
JAPAN / Explainer
Nov 17, 2025
What you need to know about the shift to My Number health insurance cards
By Jessica Speed
By integrating health insurance with My Number cards, the government hopes to streamline administration processes, reduce paperwork and make it easier to treat patients.
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?
By Yukana Inoue
In Japan, few people typically own guns, and the process to qualify for a license to hunt the animals takes time and effort.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba waits for a session of the House of Councillors Budget Committee to begin in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Explainer
Mar 19, 2025
What¡¯s the fuss over Ishiba¡¯s gift vouchers?
By Himari Semans and Gabriele Ninivaggi
The prime minister¡¯s standing has worsened following reports that he handed out gift vouchers worth ?100,000 ($668) each to rookie lawmakers from his party.
Members of the media raise their hands for questions as outgoing Fuji TV President Koichi Minato attends a news conference in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Explainer
Jan 28, 2025
What we learned at Fuji TV¡¯s marathon Nakai scandal news conference
By Yukana Inoue
Longtime executive of Fuji TV Hisashi Hieda, who has been dubbed the ¡°emperor¡± of the broadcaster, was not present at the news conference and did not resign.
A mirror reflects a collapsed house in the city of Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Dec. 10, nearly one year after a major earthquake struck nearby on New Year's Day in 2024.
JAPAN / Explainer
Jan 14, 2025
Miyazaki quake falls short of triggering Nankai Trough megaquake advisory
By Yukana Inoue
Though Monday¡¯s temblor struck a similar area to one in August that sparked the first advisory, no such alert was issued.
A health ministry survey showed that 5,824 people age 65 and older died in a bathtub in their home or other residential facilities in 2022, more than double the number of people who died in a traffic accident.
JAPAN / Explainer
Dec 10, 2024
Winter chill, hot baths and the risk of heat shock: How to stay safe
By Kathleen Benoza
Heat shock has come under the spotlight after popular actor and singer Miho Nakayama was found dead at her home last week.

Japanese population falls below 120 million for first time in decades
As of Jan. 1, the population of Japanese residents in Japan stood at 119.74 million, down 0.76% from the previous year.
Mall collapses after powerful quake rocks Kumamoto
Emergency crews outside an Aeon Mall in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Tuesday after the second floor of the building collapsed in the wake of a major earthquake.
Japanese man arrested for years of guitar noise
Police seized over 40 guitars ¡ª many electric ¡ª from a Kyoto musician's residence, along with CD and radio cassette players and amplifiers.
Rescuers race to find survivors following massive Kumamoto quake
Debris is strewn at the damaged Aeon Mall shopping center, where an explosion occurred after an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck Japan's southern Kumamoto Prefecture, in Kashima Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Wednesday.
China makes new U.S. warship target for missile tests
China has built a new U.S. destroyer replica at a remote missile-testing site in its northwestern desert, satellite imagery shows.
With secondary-capital bill passed, competition between cities heats up
A view of downtown Sapporo. Hokkaido Gov. Naomichi Suzuki is pushing Sapporo as a candidate for a second capital outside Tokyo.
Japanese author Keigo Higashino, known for intricate mystery novels, dies at 68
A display featuring Keigo Higashino¡¯s work, with a range of his titles translated into multiple languages, at Books Kinokuniya Tokyo in the capital¡¯s Shinjuku Ward on Tuesday
Tough new permanent residency measures trigger concern in Japan
The Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau in the capital's Shinagawa Ward in March. Japan's revised guidelines for permanent residency are set to be introduced as early as Oct. 1 and applied to applications filed from April 2027.
The tiny Okayama village providing Japan with a blueprint for forest management
In 2008, Nishiawakura announced a 100-year plan to promote forest health through measures including structured thinning of its artificially planted <i>sugi</i> and <i>hinoki</i> trees. Since then, it has earned nationwide recognition for its innovative forest health management initiatives.

Podcast

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

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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