The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun
Takaichi to dissolve lower house for Feb. 8 snap election
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will dissolve the House of Representatives on Jan. 23 for a Feb. 8 snap election to seek the public’s mandate for her Liberal Democratic Party forming a coalition with the Japan Innovation Party, she announced on Jan....
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Victims of Noto quake, heavy rains remembered at ceremony
WAJIMA, Ishikawa — A total of 337 people, including bereaved family members, observed a moment of silence on Jan. 1 during a memorial ceremony for the victims of two disasters that struck Ishikawa Prefecture’s Noto Peninsula in 2024 — the major...
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PM hopes JIP will join Cabinet
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with The Yomiuri Shimbun on Dec. 23 as part of her first round of one-on-one interviews with media organizations since taking office, during which she expressed her hope that ruling coalition partner the Japan...
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Appropriate AI environment must be built
Expanding appropriate use of artificial intelligence will require dealing with numerous problems in fields including education, employment and industry. As the use of generative AI rapidly grows, we must review its development and usage and establish...
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M7.5 earthquake strikes off Aomori Prefecture
A strong earthquake measuring upper 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 hit Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, around 11:15 p.m. on Dec. 8. The quake had an estimated magnitude of 7.5 and struck off the prefecture’s east coast. The quake’s focus...
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Survey: 59% opposed to active acceptance of foreign workers
About 60% of respondents to a recent survey by The Yomiuri Shimbun and Waseda University’s Institute for Advanced Social Sciences disagreed with the active acceptance of foreign workers, a sharp increase from 46% in the November-December survey last...
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Aonishiki caps chaos in Kyushu with playoff win over Hoshoryu
Sekiwake Aonishiki brought a dramatic end to one of sumo's most chaotic tournaments in recent memory by winning his first career title, while securing a historic promotion to ozeki in the process. The 21-year-old Ukrainian walked off with the...
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Japan, China fail to patch up differences over Taiwan remark
Japan and China failed to patch up their differences in diplomatic talks on Nov. 18 in Beijing over a remark by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about Taiwan. Directors general from the Japanese and Chinese foreign ministries discussed the rapidly...
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Takaichi tells Xi of concerns over intrusions near Senkakus
GYEONGJU, South Korea — Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed her concern about China’s intrusions into Japanese waters around the Senkaku Islands and its export controls on rare earths during her first talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in...
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‘New golden age’ promised for Japan-U.S. alliance
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to further strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance during their first in-person summit at the State Guest House in Tokyo on Oct. 28. During the meeting, Takaichi conveyed Japan’s resolve...
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Takaichi becomes 1st female prime minister
Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi was named the new prime minister on Oct. 21 at plenary sessions of both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors in an extraordinary Diet session convened on the day. She became the...
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Leader announces end to 26-year coalition with LDP
Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito announced on Oct. 10 that his party will leave its 26-year coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party and notified LDP President Sanae Takaichi of the party's decision during their meeting on the day. Komeito had demanded...
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Takaichi elected as new president of ruling LDP
Former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi was elected as the Liberal Democratic Party's 29th president, defeating Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in a runoff of the party's leadership race on Oct. 4. Takaichi, 64,...
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Standing tall
It took an extra match and a review by the judges, but in the end, yokozuna Onosato walked off with the title of the Autumn Grand Tournament. Onosato defeated fellow yokozuna Hoshoryu in a thrilling playoff, minutes after losing to him in the final...
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2025 Expo reservation slots fully booked
Reservation slots for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo are fully booked, the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, the operator of the Expo, said on Sept. 19. With the Oct. 13 closing date approaching, a last-minute surge in visitors has made...
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Imperial couple visit Nagasaki with daughter
NAGASAKI — The Emperor, the Empress and their daughter Princess Aiko visited Nagasaki on Sept. 12 to pay tribute to the war dead, with this year marking 80 years since the end of World War II. It is the first visit the Imperial couple has made to...
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Ishiba announces intention to resign as president of LDP
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Sept. 7 announced his intention to resign as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to take responsibility for the party’s crushing defeat in the recent House of Councillors election. Ishiba made the...
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Taste of autumn
Fishermen are seeing larger saury catches this year, with the fish’s daily wholesale volume reaching 117 tons at Tokyo’s Toyosu Market on Aug. 28, an exceptional figure given the poor catches in recent years. Since the fishing season for the autumn...
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Ishiba, Lee agree to further ties in ‘future-oriented’ manner
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Aug. 23 during his first visit to Japan since taking office, and the two leaders agreed to advance bilateral relations in a future-oriented manner. Lee’s decision to visit...
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No-war pledge renewed at memorial ceremony
The annual memorial ceremony for Japan’s war dead was held at the Nippon Budokan hall in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on Aug. 15, as the country marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. About 4,500 people, including family members of the war...
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Child of A-bomb survivor inspired to speak of father’s experience
HIROSHIMA — Hiroshima was filled with prayers for the victims of the 1945 atomic bombing on Aug. 6 as the city marked the 80th anniversary of the tragedy. With survivors now far advanced in age and little time remaining to pass on their experiences,...
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Tsunami disrupt nation following M8.7 earthquake
Apowerful earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 8.7 struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia at about 8:25 a.m. on July 30, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue tsunami warnings along the Pacific coastlines of 13 prefectures, from...
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Ishiba intends to step down following Japan-U.S. tariff deal
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba intends to step down, following the conclusion of a Japan-U.S. tariff agreement, sources have told The Yomiuri Shimbun. After the Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito ruling coalition suffered a crushing defeat in the July 20...
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As visitor numbers increase, Expo sees possibility of making a profit
OSAKA — July 13 marked three months since the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo opened, and ticket sales have remained strong with more than 10 million visitors. With the possibility of making a profit in sight, the event, which is now halfway through its run,...
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Campaigning begins with ruling bloc’s majority at stake
Campaigning for the House of Councillors election began on July 3 and will continue until the day before the polls open on July 20. Economic measures to counter prolonged high prices will be a key issue, with the ruling and opposition parties engaging...
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60% of disaster public housing construction still to be planned
July 1 marked 18 months since the Noto Peninsula Earthquake struck Ishikawa, Toyama and Niigata prefectures, claiming 616 lives, including indirectly related deaths, but securing permanent housing for disaster victims remains a pressing issue. In...
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Okinawa marks memorial day for fierce ground battle
ITOMAN, Okinawa — Okinawa Prefecture marked Okinawa Memorial Day on June 23, remembering the Battle of Okinawa that took the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the final days of World War II 80 years ago. The Okinawa Memorial Service for All...
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Fields of mirrors
The late afternoon sun sets both sky and rice paddies ablaze in orange and red light in Kitakata, Fukushima Prefecture, a major rice growing area in the Tohoku region. The Aizu basin is ringed by peaks such as Mt. Bandai, and many people can be seen...
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Rainy season begins
The rainy season is believed to have started in the Kanto-Koshin eastern to central region and the Hokuriku region, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced on June 10. The Kanto-Koshin region entered the rainy season three days later than in an...
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Passing of an eternal Giant
Yomiuri Giants lifetime honorary manager Shigeo Nagashima, one of Japan’s most beloved sports figures whose achievements as a player and manager earned him the moniker of “Mr. Pro Baseball,” died on June 3. He was 89. Nagashima passed away due to...
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Procedures launched to sell stockpiled rice at govt-set prices
The government on May 26 launched procedures to sell state-held reserves of rice through contracts in which the government will set the price of the grain. This represents a change from the sale and delivery of stockpiled rice through public bidding,...
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Yomiuri proposes measures to protect Imperial succession
The shrinking number of Imperial family members is a grave problem. As things stand, only three members are eligible to ascend to the Chrysanthemum Throne, and unease about the continuation of the Imperial line simmers on. Ensuring a stable Imperial...
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Can Nissan recover through new, long-overdue restructuring plan?
Nissan Motor Co. has fallen into a sea of red ink, posting a net loss of ¥670.8 billion in fiscal 2024. The Japanese automaker on May 13 announced a set of restructuring measures, including the closure of seven factories inside and outside Japan, as...
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Japan, United States set for tug-of-war in tariff talks
WASHINGTON — After a second round of tariff negotiations on May 1, Japan and the United States are now set to begin a tugof-war in ministerial-level talks agreed to be held intensively from mid-May. Japan intends to seek a review of U.S. tariffs with...
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Japan concerned ASEAN shifting away from U.S.
MANILA — Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba chose Vietnam and the Philippines as the destinations for his third trip to Southeast Asia, prompted by concerns that the tariff measures of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration may fuel distrust toward...
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Japan, U.S. to aim for early agreement on tariffs
WASHINGTON — Japan and the United States confirmed on April 16 that they will aim for an early agreement over the tariff measures implemented by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. They also agreed to hold their next ministerial-level...
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EXPO 2025 START!
OSAKA — The 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo opened to the public on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka Bay on April 13 with many visitors flocking to popular spots. Under the theme of “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” 158 countries and regions...
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Japanese businesses find all routes to U.S. blocked by tariffs
U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policy could not only disrupt the global economy, but also lead to the collapse of the free trade system and the world order. Japanese companies are bracing themselves for the measures, which have no clear end in...
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FY2025 budget totaling ¥115 trillion established
The fiscal 2025 budget was enacted March 31, the day before the start of the fiscal year, after it passed the House of the Representatives with the support of the ruling bloc — the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito — as well as the opposition Japan...
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FRONT PAGE PHOTO
Japan became the first non-host country to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, after it defeated Bahrain 2-0 in the Asian qualifying round at Saitama Stadium on March 20. Japan, ranked 15th in the world, will compete in the World Cup in June next year for...
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Brother kept diary for sister who was caught in Aum attack
In the early afternoon on March 1, Kazuo Asakawa, 65, visited a cemetery in the suburbs of Tokyo. There, he spoke at the grave of his younger sister Sachiko, who died five years ago at the age of 56. “Look how much our family has grown. I wish I could...
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14 years on
SENDAI — March 11 marked the 14th anniversary of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. People gathered from early morning to remember victims in the coastal areas of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, which were struck by the massive...
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Firefighters struggle with drought effects
A combination of prolonged dryness and strong winds has allowed a fire in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, to spread rapidly. As the risk of wildfires is feared to be increasing amid climate change, routine preparations and first-response firefighting have...
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Buried occupation diary becomes last work of Ukrainian author
KYIV — Feb. 24 marked three years since Russia started its aggression against Ukraine. With Russia occupying more and more Ukrainian territory and forcefully “Russianizing” the country, many natives are fighting back by attaching themselves more...
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Magic of Shinkansen
A Shinkansen train decorated with characters featured in Tokyo DisneySea’s newest area, Fantasy Springs, was unveiled by Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) to the media on Feb. 17. The unveiling took place at the company’s factory in...
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Ishiba vows $1 tril. investment in U.S. during summit with Trump
WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba pledged to boost Japan's investment in the United States to about $1 trillion (about ¥151 trillion) during his first in-person summit with U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 7. During the meeting at the...
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Bright, unshaken spirit
A couple dries colorful mochi, part of the process of making Noto Shika Arare bite-size rice crackers, in Shika, Ishikawa Prefecture. Kunio Shirayama, 81, and his wife, Fusako, 82, cut the mochi into 1-centimeter cubes and dry them in wooden boxes,...
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Ishiba vows ‘remodeling’ of archipelago in Diet speech
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba declared on Jan. 24 that he will vigorously push ahead with the “remodeling” of the Japanese archipelago during his first policy speeches since taking office, at the plenary sessions of both houses in the ordinary Diet...
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Ichiro makes history with Hall of Fame election
SEATTLE — Former Major League Baseball superstar Ichiro Suzuki became the first Japanese elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in the United States on Jan. 21. With 394 ballots submitted for the election, Ichiro received 393 votes, just one...
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Special winter train tour starts in Toyama’s Kurobe Gorge
Kurobe Gorge Railway Co. in Toyama Prefecture began a tour using special rail cars on Jan. 11 to attract tourists to Unazuki Onsen hot spring resort, where the number of visitors is lower in winter. During the “Fuyu no Kurobe Kyokoku Premium Tour”...
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Acrobatics for fire safety
Members of a group maintaining a centuries-old firefighting tradition display banners praying for recovery from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake atop bamboo ladders during the dezomeshiki New Year’s Fire Review festival at Tokyo Big Sight in Koto Ward,...
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Honda, Nissan eye merger in ’26, mull Mitsubishi’s participation
Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. officially announced at a joint press conference on Dec. 23 that they had started talks on integrating their businesses in August 2026. They aim to establish a new holding company and bring the two companies under...
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SLITHERING INTO 2025
HITACHI-NAKA, Ibaraki — A work of art in the shape of a giant snake has appeared on the grounds of Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture. About 20,000 pinecones, 600 kochia trees and other materials collected from throughout the park were used to...
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Hidankyo calls on world to abolish nuclear arms
OSLO — Nihon Hidankyo (Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations) received this year's Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in Oslo on Dec. 10, where it called on the international community to work toward the abolition of nuclear...
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Competition to rack up views for profit distorts campaigns
The spread of information on social media — including posts that are difficult to verify and others with extreme comments — is believed to have contributed to Motohiko Saito’s successful reelection bid in the Hyogo Prefecture gubernatorial...
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Feel MVP
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers won the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award for the first time on Nov. 21. This is the third MVP honor for Ohtani, 30, who won the award for the American League in 2021 and 2023, when he...
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Ishiba, Xi reaffirm strategic mutually beneficial relationship
LIMA — Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Nov. 15 in Lima for the first time since taking office. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing a “mutually beneficial relationship between Japan and China...
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Ishiba wins runoff vote to remain prime minister
Shigeru Ishiba was elected on Nov. 11 as the 103rd prime minister at a special Diet session, and the second Ishiba Cabinet was to be formed that evening. Ishiba, the president of the Liberal Democratic Party, won a runoff against Constitutional...
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Expert recommends ‘buying time’ against robberies
A crime prevention expert recommends a number of measures to “buy time” against robberies, amid numerous thefts and other crimes that have occurred mainly in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Most of the robberies took place in detached houses. The common...
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Ruling bloc loses majority, but Ishiba vows to stay in office
Aseries of “politics and money” scandals drove the Liberal Democratic Party to a crushing defeat in Oct. 27’s House of Representatives election. The LDP secured only 191 seats, 56 fewer than it held before the lower house was dissolved. Even combined...
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MULTICOLOR BLOOMING
Dahlias in red, pink, orange and other colors are in peak bloom at the Machida Dahlia Garden in Machida, western Tokyo, delighting the eyes of visitors. As many as 4,000 dahlia plants of about 500 varieties are grown in the garden, which is roughly...
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Nobel Peace Prize awarded to nuclear bomb survivors group
Nihon Hidankyo, or the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, has won the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to eradicate nuclear weapons, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Oct. 11. The group is the second peace...
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Ishiba dissolves lower house, tees up election campaign
The House of Representatives was dissolved at a plenary session on Oct. 9, setting the stage for a lower house election that will see official campaigning kick off on Oct. 15 and voting on Oct. 27. With the lower house election schedule set, the...
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SHIGERU ISHIBA
Liberal Democratic Party President Shigeru Ishiba was designated the new prime minister on Oct. 1 at plenary sessions of both houses in an extraordinary Diet session that was convened on the day. He immediately began forming his Cabinet, which was to...
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Historical 50-50 feat
MIAMI — Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani on Sept. 19 became the first major league player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. Ohtani stole his 50th base in the first inning of a game against the Miami Marlins, then...
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