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May 05, 2026
 

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ZOOS

The Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, postponed the start to its summer operations to Friday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
May 1, 2026
Zoo employee arrested for allegedly burning wife's body in incinerator
Tatsuya Suzuki, a 33-year-old employee of the Asahikawa Municipal Government, made statements suggesting he also killed his wife.
A staff member checks a Komodo dragon at Surabaya Zoo in Surabaya on Wednesday. Indonesia will lend a pair of endangered breeding Komodo dragons to Japan.
JAPAN
Apr 30, 2026
Indonesia lends Komodo dragon pair to Japan zoo
Indonesia's Surabaya Zoo will receive a pair of red pandas, a pair of giraffes, four Aldabra giant tortoises and two female Japanese macaques from iZoo in Shizuoka Prefecture.
The incinerator at the Asahiyama Zoo in Hokkaido on Sunday
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 28, 2026
Zoo employee admits to burning wife¡¯s body in incinerator
A zoo in Hokkaido has postponed its summer opening as it cooperates with the investigation.
Indonesia will loan two Komodo dragons to Shizuoka Prefecture in hopes that the endangered reptiles will successfully breed, an official said Monday.
JAPAN
Mar 31, 2026
Indonesia to loan endangered Komodo dragons to Japan for breeding program
A male and a female will be sent to a zoo in Shizuoka Prefecture, which will send several animals in return to Indonesia including red pandas and giraffes.
North Safari Sapporo, a now-closed zoo in Hokkaido, in March 2025
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Mar 26, 2026
Sapporo zoo operator accused of unauthorized development
The zoo, North Safari Sapporo, opened in 2005 and closed last year after the allegations came to light.
Baby Japanese macaque Punch sits next to a stuffed orangutan at Ichikawa City Zoo in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, on Feb. 19.
JAPAN
Mar 11, 2026
Punch, the viral baby monkey, isn¡¯t being bullied, Ichikawa City Zoo says
The 7-month-old Japanese macaque, often clinging to an orangutan plush, became an internet sensation after videos of him being chased by fellow monkeys were posted on social media.
A baby Japanese macaque named Punch drags a stuffed orangutan at Ichikawa City Zoo, in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, on Thursday.
JAPAN
Feb 24, 2026
Punch-drunk love: Lonely baby monkey in Japan goes viral
A tiny Japanese macaque at a local zoo in Chiba Prefecture has become an online sensation, with people around the world rooting for him after he was abandoned by his mother.
A baby Japanese macaque named Punch sits next to a stuffed orangutan at Ichikawa City Zoo in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, on Thursday.
JAPAN
Feb 20, 2026
Monkey see, monkey soothe: Zookeepers get creative to save infant macaque
Punch, a baby Japanese macaque, was given the plush toy after being abandoned by his mother.
Visitors flock to see four-year-old female giant panda Lei Lei at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo on Sunday, the last viewing day before her planned return to China.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2026
Crowds flock to Tokyo zoo to see pandas before they leave for China
The departure of four-year-old twins Xiao ?Xiao and ?Lei Lei leaves Japan without pandas for the ?first time since 1972.
The reflection of one of Ueno Zoo¡¯s twin pandas is seen at their enclosure. The animals¡¯ popularity has prompted concern among local businesses that their departure could hurt foot traffic in surrounding neighborhoods.
JAPAN / Society / Longform
Jan 23, 2026
What happens when the pandas leave Ueno?
The return of Ueno Zoo¡¯s last giant pandas underscores how an animal became a diplomatic symbol ¡ª and what happens when that symbol is withdrawn.
The only remaining giant pandas in Japan, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei of Tokyo's Ueno Zoo, are scheduled to be transported by aircraft from Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture on the night of Jan. 27, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
JAPAN
Jan 20, 2026
Last two pandas in Japan to leave for China on Jan. 27
All giant pandas raised in Japan are on loan from China for breeding research purposes, with ownership remaining with China, including for pandas born in Japan.
Visitors take photos of Lei Lei at Tokyo¡¯s Ueno Zoo on Tuesday.
JAPAN
Dec 16, 2025
Panda fans throng Ueno Zoo to bid farewell to Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei
Visitors stood in line for hours to catch one last glimpse of the two remaining pandas in Japan ahead of their return to China in January.
Twin giant pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei at Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo in June 2023. They are expected to be sent back to China by the end of January.
JAPAN
Dec 15, 2025
Amid China tensions, Japan will lose its two remaining pandas
Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, two twin giant pandas at the Ueno Zoological Gardens, are expected to be returned to China by the end of January.
Hokkaido Prefectural Police on Thursday seize items during a search of locations linked to the now-closed North Safari Sapporo zoo.
JAPAN
Oct 23, 2025
Police raid closed Hokkaido zoo for unauthorized land development
As of Oct. 4, 312 animals, including tigers and lions, still remain at the zoo.
A polar bear at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo on Thursday. The Arctic animals are among the most vulnerable species to Japan's scorching summer heat and zookeepers have to take a number of precautions in order to keep them safe.
ENVIRONMENT / Wildlife / OUR PLANET
Aug 31, 2025
How Tokyo's Ueno Zoo helps their animals cope with extreme heat
From limiting their time outdoors to serving frozen food, the staff at Ueno Zoo take a number of measures to help the animals cope with the heat.
Fans bid fareweel to the four pandas residing at Adventure World in Wakyama Prefecture on Friday, their last viewing day before being returned to China on Saturday.
JAPAN
Jun 27, 2025
Fans bid farewell to four pandas in Kansai ahead of return to China
Rauhin, 24, and her three daughters ¡ª 8-year-old Yuihin, 6-year-old Saihin and 4-year-old Fuhin ¡ª will be transferred to China on Saturday.
Giant panda Rauhin at Adventure World in Wakayama Prefecture. She and her three daughters are expected to be sent to China in June.
JAPAN
Apr 25, 2025
All four giant pandas at western Japan zoo to be sent to China
If no new additions join the zoo, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo would be the only remaining giant pandas housed in Japan.
Visitors take photos of Shin Shin at Ueno zoo in Tokyo on Saturday. Saturday was the last chance for Japan's panda-lovers to see Shin Shin and Ri Ri before their return to China.
JAPAN
Sep 29, 2024
91²Ö¿â legions of panda-lovers bid farewell to beloved pair in Tokyo
Avid fans of the pandas congregated outside Ueno zoo overnight to secure a spot in line to see the pair for one minute each.
People watch the male giant panda Ri Ri at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo in June 2017.
JAPAN
Aug 31, 2024
Panda pair in Tokyo to return to China
The elderly pandas Ri Ri and Shin Shin will be returned to China next month for medical care.
Quokkas have been dubbed the "happiest animal in the world."
JAPAN
Aug 28, 2024
Saitama zoo seeks donations for 'smiling' quokkas
The Saitama Children's Zoo in Higashimatsuyama is the only place in Japan where people can see quokkas.
Water shortages hit tourist spots in Japan during Golden Week
A hot spring facility in the city of Tomioka, Gunma Prefecture, has suspended the operation of its open-air baths since March.
Strong winds disrupt transport during Golden Week
A map on the website of the Japan Meteorological Agency shows advisories and warnings for strong winds across wide areas of Japan through Monday night.
What is the hantavirus that killed three cruise ship passengers?
The cruise ship MV Hondius floats off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on Sunday.
China's rare defiance of U.S. sanctions sparks showdown over banks
A Chinese flag flutters in front of the Shanghai Gaoqiao Company Refinery in Shanghai.
Article 9 in focus as Takaichi pushes for revision of Constitution
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gives a speech in Hanoi on Saturday.
Fujisawa flashpoint: A mosque project stokes nativist fears
Muslims pray at Tokyo Camii in the Yoyogi-Uehara neighborhood. Though Muslims account for only 0.3% of Japan¡¯s population, rhetoric in online spaces and by conservative politicians has fomented social tensions.
No longer shushed: Japan¡¯s cultural venues make room for children
In 2019, Saitama Arts Theater started permitting children under 3 to some of its shows. Previously, children under 4 were not permitted.
New head chef at Maz explores Peruvian food through a Japanese lens
Since taking over Maz last month, chef Yuya Nakamura has been gradually introducing more Japanese influences to the restaurant's innovative Peruvian cuisine.
For tourists in Japan¡¯s outdoor sports scene, safety is not guaranteed
Each winter, countless tourists flock to Japan's famous snow-covered mountains, but a lack of top-down regulation on the country's outdoor sports industry can make certain activities unnecessarily risky.
¡®Sashiko¡¯ needlework artisan says craft is about 'the stories behind the stitching'
Traditional Japanese needlework has exploded in popularity, but a book from a third-generation artisan aims to bring more context to the craft's newfound popularity.

Podcast

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

Longform

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Can AI replace a priest? Japan¡¯s temples and shrines are testing the limits.
By Alex K.T. Martin

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