National
Japanese firms take steps to protect outdoor workers as heatwave sizzles on
Japan endured another day of a searing heatwave on Monday, with temperatures soaring to the highest this year in Tokyo and leaving those having to work outside vulnerable to the risk of heatstroke. Heatstroke alerts were issued in 30 of Japan's 47 prefectures, the highest this year, after the country suffered… Read
Hiroshima teens relay atomic bomb horror with art
Trudging through the ruins of Hiroshima after the U.S. atomic bombing four days before in 1945, five-year-old Masaki Hironaka clutched his mother's hand and silently vowed to protect her. It's one of many scenes from 80 years ago this August still etched in the octogenarian's memory -- and now depicted… Read
Over 800 suspected of cheating on TOEIC English exam in Japan
At least 803 people in Japan are believed to have cheated on an English proficiency test between May 2023 and June 2025, the test's administrator said Monday, adding it has notified the examinees of the nullification of their exam results and a five-year ban on retaking the test. The findings… Read
In reversal, Japan now wants rice farmers to produce more. Will it work?
For more than half a century, the Japanese government has encouraged its rice farmers to grow less of the crop so that prices of the national staple grain remained relatively high and steady. Now, under an ambitious agricultural policy announced this year, Tokyo is preparing for a reversal, envisaging a future of bountiful… Read
Emperor, empress begin weeklong visit to Mongolia
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako began a weeklong visit to Mongolia on Sunday during which he plans to honor thousands of Japanese prisoners of World War II who were held under harsh conditions in the country. Naruhito's visit marks the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. In recent years,… Read
70% of shops hit by Noto quake see no prospects of rebuilding
Seventy percent of shops and restaurants currently operating from temporary facilities in the earthquake-hit Noto Peninsula in central Japan have no prospects of returning to their original locations, a Kyodo News survey showed. Nearly half of the 46 businesses facing difficulties cited a lack of funding as the main obstacle,… Read
Dozens more evacuated from southwestern Japan islands amid quakes
More people evacuated from small islands in southwestern Japan on Sunday as quakes continued to rattle the area, heading to the closest main island of Kyushu. A total of 46 residents of Akuseki and Kodakara in the Tokara island chain boarded a ferry in the morning, local authorities said, the… Read
Two men drown in river after trying to save teenager
An 18-year-old man and a 42-year-old man drowned in a river in Kamikatsu, Tokushima Prefecture, on Saturday after they jumped in to try and save a teenager who was in trouble. According to police, the two were associated with a support facility for disabled children in the prefecture, NHK reported.… Read
Japan's Michael Jackson impersonator helps tackle overtourism woes
A Michael Jackson impersonator in Osaka is using his popularity on social media to help address issues such as overcrowding and littering caused by overtourism. The moonwalking performer, who calls himself "Michael Jackton" and has amassed nearly 13 million followers on video platform TikTok, frequently turns heads in Osaka's bustling… Read
Japan Railway-affiliated Tokyo shopping centers issue warning over point card scam
For a while there, “Everything lasts forever on the internet” looked like it was going to become common sense. However, as time has gone by, we’ve learned that that’s not always true. Online permeance only extends so far as the constancy of server and domain maintenance, which brings us to… Read
