Japan

Japan

Japan to increase visa fees by more than five times starting on 1 July

Japan wants to help manage the rising costs of its immigration system by making tourist visas significantly more expensive in the first fee increase in nearly half a century.

22/06/2026

Economy

Bank of Japan raises its key interest rate to a three-decade high

The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate to 1% on Tuesday, citing challenges stemming from a weak Japanese yen and higher prices.

16/06/2026

Destinations

Want to book a life-changing holiday? Travel to these destinations

Searching for more than a beach break? These are the places that travellers say transformed their lives when they returned home.

15/06/2026

Japan

Watch: Bear captured after roaming through Japanese city

Authorities in Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo, captured a bear after a multi-day search linked to several sightings. Security camera footage showed the animal running through a shopping arcade, prompting school closures and safety warnings.

09/06/2026

Travel News

‘If you throw trash, you lose cash’: Tokyo tourists face fines

Visitors caught dropping rubbish in Tokyo’s popular Shibuya ward will now be fined on the spot as authorities battle the side effects of Japan’s record tourism boom.

03/06/2026

Japan

Bear injures four in Fukushima as annual number of attacks rises

Japan's Environment Ministry said 13 people were killed in more than 230 bear attacks in 2025, exceeding the number of fatalities and attacks in any preceding year.

02/06/2026

No Comment

Moment bear chases and attacks workers in Japan

CCTV footage captured a bear chasing and attacking a worker outside a factory in Fukushima. Four people were injured as the animal wandered through a residential area, prompting a large-scale response by police and emergency services.

02/06/2026

Japan

Japan’s southernmost region of Okinawa braces for Typhoon Jangmi

The tropical storm, sweeping through the southernmost Japanese prefecture of Okinawa, is expected to head towards Amami Oshima island on Tuesday.

01/06/2026

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Panic at Tokyo luxury mall after man sprays unidentified substance

Firefighters, police and hazmat crews surrounded a luxury shopping mall in Tokyo’s Ginza district after a man sprayed an unidentified substance inside, with 19 people taken to hospital.

25/05/2026

Japan

Around 20 people injured after spraying incident in Tokyo mall

Roads around the building in the shopping district of Ginza, where the mall is located, were blocked off following the incident, and fire trucks lined the street.

25/05/2026

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Ancient Buddhist hall with 1,000-year-old ‘eternal flame’ burns in Japan

A Buddhist hall on Japan’s Miyajima Island that housed an “eternal flame” believed to have burned for more than 1,000 years was destroyed in a fire, with aerial footage showing the building engulfed in flames.

21/05/2026

Japan

Japan arrests Americans over stunt at baby monkey Punch's zoo

The baby monkey became an internet star this year after the zoo posted photos of Punch clutching an IKEA plush orangutan for comfort after being rejected by his mother.

18/05/2026

Travel News

Japan’s Pokémon travel trend flies high with new themed airport

A regional airport in Japan is getting a Pokémon-inspired makeover as part of post-earthquake recovery efforts.

17/05/2026

Health news

Finding the right words for feelings could help ease anxiety, study

People with higher levels of autistic traits may be more likely to cope with anxiety caused by uncertainty by putting their emotions into words, a new study finds.

13/05/2026

Japan

Japanese man arrested after wife's remains found in zoo incinerator

The victim once told her relatives that her husband was threatening to "burn you until no trace of you will be left," public broadcaster NHK said, citing investigative sources.

01/05/2026

Mobility

Inside Japan’s real-life sci-fi town where robots coexist with humans

Developers say the aim of Woven City is to gather real-world data on how people and machines interact, helping improve safety and shape future regulations.

28/04/2026

Residences

See inside this Japanese hotel brand’s expanded Pokémon room range

Every stay includes special-edition MIMARU-original merchandise, such as themed fabric bags and collectable items.

27/04/2026

Residences

New hotels in Japan: The standout openings to book in 2026

From Kyoto heritage stays to a converted prison in Nara, Japan’s newest hotels reflect a shift towards design, identity and experience-led travel.

26/04/2026

Nature

Giant 19-metre-long octopuses may have ruled the ancient seas

Researchers studied the jaws of 15 ancient octopus fossils to determine how big the creatures may have been.

24/04/2026

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A robot Sony built with AI is defeating human pros at table tennis

Japanese electronics giant Sony built the robotic arm it calls Project Ace and pitted it against professional athletes.

23/04/2026

Earth News

Japan reveals a new official name for ‘cruelly hot’ days

‘Kokushobi’ will be used in weather forecasts to warn that extreme heat is on the way.

20/04/2026

Japan

Japan issues tsunami warning after powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake

Authorities have urged residents of the affected areas to seek higher ground, heed safety instructions and exercise caution.

20/04/2026

Tech News

Japan targets AI robot brains as China dominates humanoid race

At Japan’s first robotics expo, Tokyo turns to ‘physical AI’ as China and the US dominate robot manufacturing

18/04/2026

Travel News

Travelling to Japan? All the changes to tourist taxes and fees in 2026

Some of the increased fees apply to all travellers, but some can be avoided depending on when you visit and where you stay.

15/04/2026

Economy

Japan passes biggest ever budget at €664bn amid spending push

The upper house of the Japanese parliament has enacted a state budget of ¥122.3 trillion (€664bn), the largest allocation in the country's history. The move reflects PM Takaichi's goal of an expansionary fiscal policy.

07/04/2026

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Revellers parade giant phalluses at Japan’s fertility festival

Crowds pack Kawasaki for Kanamara Matsuri, Japan’s colourful fertility festival using phallic shrines to celebrate life and challenge sex taboos.

06/04/2026