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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

By Yukana Inoue

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

By Yukana Inoue

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.

Urea, ammonium phosphate, and potassium chloride — raw materials for chemical fertilizers — are almost entirely imported in Japan.

JAPAN / Society / FOCUS

Jun 15, 2026

Fertilizer prices rise in Japan due to Strait of Hormuz squeeze

By Eric Johnston

While shortages like those for naphtha have yet to emerge, warnings of an international shortage have been issued amid uncertainties in the Middle East.

A "customer harassment" prevention awareness poster at the entrance of an Aoki Super supermarket in Aichi Prefecture

JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Chubu

Jun 15, 2026

‘Customer harassment’ continues in Japan despite moves to end it

While ordinances have been helping many businesses across the nation to combat “customer harassment,” they haven’t been a silver bullet for such abuse.

A record 101,045 consultation requests on social media-related issues were made to consumer affairs centers in Japan last year, nearly double the level in 2021.

JAPAN / Society

Jun 12, 2026

In a first, consumer consultations in Japan about social media top 100,000

Those in their 50s and older accounted for more than half of the total social media-related consultations to consumer affairs centers.

Manga artist Akiko Tomita speaks at an event on her work depicting North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals, in the city of Musashino in western Tokyo on April 10.

JAPAN / Society

Jun 11, 2026

Manga on North Korean abductions published amid little progress over issue

The work, which mixes fiction with facts and actual tactics used by North Korea to kidnap Japanese nationals, seeks to draw attention to the decades-old issue.

Staff and older adults of an adult daycare facility in Tokyo's Katsushika Ward enjoy a livestream of singer Ryo Nakada, known for his repertoire of 550 golden oldies of the Showa Era (1926-1989), on April 8.

JAPAN / Society

Jun 10, 2026

Oshikatsu activities to support favorite idols spread to older generations

Experts say such activities help older people find purpose in life, adding that the popularity is likely to grow even more with the spread of livestreaming.

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

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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