Japan

Economy

Japan's economy contracts as exports are hit by US tariffs

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, GDP in the three months to September contracted for the first time in six quarters, a challenge for new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

17/11/2025

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Sakurajima volcano erupts in Japan, sending ash high over Kagoshima

Japan’s Sakurajima volcano erupted for the first time since October, sending a tall plume of ash into the air and prompting ashfall alerts in nearby prefectures.

16/11/2025

Business

SoftBank ditches Nvidia in favour of deeper dive into AI

SoftBank has exited Nvidia for about €5.4bn and, after reporting a €14bn quarterly profit, said it will redirect capital into AI investments.

11/11/2025

Travel News

Godzilla invades Tokyo’s Haneda airport for a year-long installation

The nine-metre-tall statue will stand in Haneda Airport’s departures hall for one year.

11/11/2025

Japan

Japan and China exchange barbs after PM Takaichi's Taiwan remarks

China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the self-governing island under its control.

10/11/2025

Japan

Strong 6.9-magnitude quake hits Japan, tsunami advisory cancelled

The quake that hit northern Japan on Sunday caused temporary power outages and train delays. No injuries or damage were reported, and a tsunami advisory was cancelled.

09/11/2025

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Japan deploys troops to help stop bear attacks

Japan’s Self-Defense Forces were dispatched to Akita to help control a surge in bear attacks that have left over 100 people injured and at least 12 dead nationwide since April.

05/11/2025

Japan

Trump praises Japan’s new PM Sanae Takaichi in first meeting in Tokyo

Trump who met with the newly elected Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo, called her role as Japan’s first woman prime minister a “big deal,” emphasising the US commitment to Japan.

28/10/2025

Japan

Japan looks to boost relations with the US as Trump lands in Tokyo

The US president is set to conclude his first tour of Asia in Seoul in the coming days where high-stakes talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping over trade disagreements are scheduled to take place.

27/10/2025

Travel News

Japan hikes visitor fees amid tourism boom

Japan’s new taxes aim to control record visitor numbers while funding education and infrastructure.

24/10/2025

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Drums echo through Japan as centuries-old autumn parade returns

Crowds lined the streets of Matsue City in western Japan on Sunday to witness the traditional autumn parade known as dogyoretsu, a centuries-old celebration featuring giant drums.

22/10/2025

Japan

Sanae Takaichi elected as Japan’s first female prime minister

Takaichi replaces Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum and wrangling since the Liberal Democratic Party’s disastrous election loss in July.

21/10/2025

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Kainan City sets world record for mass gingerbread house decorating

Kainan City in western Japan has set a new world record for the most people decorating gingerbread houses simultaneously, Guinness World Records confirmed on Sunday.

20/10/2025

Travel News

Japan breaks visitor records as highest-ever hotel tax gets approval

Japan's popularity continues to surge despite concerns of pollution, anti-social behaviour and 'human traffic jams'.

18/10/2025

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Expo 2025 Osaka closes after six months and 28 million visitors

Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai closed its doors on Sunday after six months of welcoming the world, drawing more than 28 million visitors to Japan’s second-largest city.

17/10/2025

Markets

Markets give seal of approval to Japan's pro-stimulus 'Iron Lady'

Traders piled into Japanese stocks after the country's ruling party named Sanae Takaichi as its new leader, betting on her Thatcherite policies to supercharge growth.

06/10/2025

Japan

Sanae Takaichi set to become Japan's first female Prime minister

Takaichi replaces Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba as the party hopes to regain public support and stay in power after major election losses.

04/10/2025

Business

Sold out: Japan is running out of Asahi beer because of a cyberattack

Major Japanese beverage producer Asahi says it has been hit by a cyberattack that left its operations disrupted for the fifth day on Friday.

03/10/2025

Health news

Emotional eaters may benefit less from weight loss drugs, study says

Doctors should try to understand their patients’ eating behaviours before prescribing weight loss drugs, researchers said.

17/09/2025

wellbeing

Japan sees record number of centenarians, and most are women

The vast majority of Japan’s centenarians are women.

12/09/2025

Economy

Japan: Revised Q2 GDP shows 2.2% growth despite US tariffs

Japan’s economy expanded at a stronger rate in the fiscal first quarter than previously estimated. The data was published hours after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his long-awaited resignation following his party's defeat in the summer elections.

08/09/2025

Focus

AI, art and inclusion take centre stage at Expo 2025

In partnership with Cabinet Secretariat

At Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, experts explored how AI, creativity and diversity can shape the future of education and peace.

04/09/2025

Tech News

AI simulation shows ‘worst-case scenario’ Mount Fuji eruption

The AI-generated video released by Japanese officials for Volcanic Disaster Preparedness Day in Japan shows a simulation of a potential violent eruption of the active volcano.

02/09/2025

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Giant bamboo snake parades through Japanese village

A giant straw and bamboo snake over 80 metres long was paraded through a Japanese village on Sunday as part of a festival first held in 1988.

01/09/2025

Food and Drink

World Sushi Skills: Lithuanian chef crowned world champion in Japan

The World Sushi Championship is held annually in Tokyo, Japan, to promote food safety and authentic sushi cuisine. It is organised by the World Sushi Skills Institute, established with the support of the Japanese government.

01/09/2025

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Somen makers in western Japan close season with cultural ceremony

Makers of somen noodles in Japan’s western Nara Prefecture have marked the end of this year’s production season with a traditional ceremony at Omiwa Shrine in Sakurai.

28/08/2025