Kiritake Kanjūrō: Breathing Life into Bunraku Puppets
Kiritake Kanjūrō was designated a living national treasure in 2021 for bringing puppets to life through his masterful embodiment of the traditional techniques of bunraku puppetry.Culture
Japan’s World Heritage Sites: Hiroshima A-Bomb Dome Best Known Among Japanese
The Hiroshima Genbaku (A-Bomb) Dome is the best known of Japan’s World Heritage sites among the country’s population.Travel
Money Moves: Changes Affecting People’s Lives in Japan from April 2025
Inflation means prices are continuing to rise in Japan, but the government has rolled out more support for working parents.Lifestyle
New Scandal for Ishiba Means New Lows for His Ratings in March
The Japanese media’s public opinion surveys for March 2025 paint a brutal picture for Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, who saw his support plummet in all eight polls. A fresh scandal erupting on March 13, involving his distribution of gift coupons to 15 Diet members from his party, sent his disapproval ratings to their highest point since he took office in October last year.Politics
Osaka: Where Japanese Manga Began Its Meteoric Rise
Japan’s manga are popular around the world today, but there was a time when the most creative currents in the scene sprang not from the publishing industry center of Tokyo, but from Osaka. A look at how Japan’s western urban center informed and inspired the world of manga in the twentieth century.Culture
Timeline for March 2025
Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru was at the center of a new Liberal Democratic Party money scandal and the Major League Baseball season openers were held in Tokyo featuring a number of Japanese baseball stars. These are the leading Japan stories of March 2025.Society
One Step Toward a Better Society Out of Adversity: A New Bill of Rights for and by Children of the System
Japan is often described as lagging in its awareness of the rights of children, particularly those facing abuse or living in shelters to escape it. Today there are groups in the country working with these children, and adults who came up through the system, to make things better for future kids.Family
Inarizushi: Japan’s Classic Tōfu Pocket Snacks
Made of vinegared sushi rice stuffed in deep-fried tōfu pockets, inarizushi are a long-standing Japanese favorite, especially as a convenient snack for bentō.Food and Drink
News in Brief
ASDF Blue Impulse to Fly over Osaka Spots for Expo Opening
Society
Up to 10,000 Police to Patrol Osaka Expo Opening Ceremony
News
Shunto Pay Hike Offers by Small Firms So Far Average 5 Pct
Economy
Deceased Sri Lankan Detainee's Family to Sue Japan Govt
Society
Japan Asks for Exemption from Trump's Reciprocal Tariffs
Politics
Opposition Urges Ishiba to Talk with Trump over Tariffs
Politics
Hakamata to Sue Japanese, Prefectural Governments in Aug.
Society
Nikkei Hits 8-Month Low below 35,000 as Trump Tariffs Weigh
Economy
Japan Calls for Exemption from Trump's Reciprocal Tariffs
Politics
Papers on 6 Comedians Sent to Prosecutors over Online Gambling
Society
Japanese Medical Team Arrives in Quake-Hit Myanmar
World
Japan Police Take Action against 10,105 People over "Tokuryu" Crimes in 2024
Society
IMF Warns of Downside Risks to Japan's Economic Growth
Economy
Nintendo Switch 2 to Go on Sale June 5
Economy
Japan Eyes Stricter Diet Oversight of Active Cyberdefense
Politics
Myanmar Quake Caused Ground Shift of Up to 6 Meters: Study
World
Pasona to Display Beating “iPS Heart” at Osaka Expo
Economy
China to Show Lunar Soil at Osaka Expo
Society
In-depth Deeper takes on the issues that shape the nation.
Policy Challenges for China and the Region Under Trump 2.0: Tough Choices Ahead for Japan
US President Donald Trump has packed his new cabinet with China hawks and threatened punitive tariffs, but his strategic vision remains unclear. China expert Kawashima Shin discusses the diplomatic dilemmas facing Beijing, Taipei, and Tokyo in this era of regional and global uncertainty.In-depth
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Japan Grapples with Risks of Social Media in Pursuing Options for Protecting Children Online
Society
Buried Timebombs: Saitama Sinkhole Draws Attention to Japan’s Aging Wastewater Infrastructure
Society
Pancontinental Olympics? Watanabe Morinari’s Audacious Vision Fuels Outside IOC Presidential Bid
Sports
Keeping Japanese Children Safe in Cyberspace: Weighing the Roles of Government, Business, and Family
Society
The Gilded Age of the American Tariff: Choices Ahead for Japan
Economy
Mixed Message: Japan’s Conflicted Stance on Nuclear Disarmament
Politics
Japan Data Basic information on Japan with easy-to-understand statistics and diagrams.
Guide to Japan Tour the country's well-known and out-of-the-way destinations. Guide to Japan