Japan unveils draft social media guidelines to curb election misinformation
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's communications ministry on Friday unveiled draft guidelines outlining measures for 13 major social media operators to help re
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Japan video time capsule service starts in Osaka Pref., rooted in late mother's letters
IZUMIOTSU, Osaka -- The Izumiotsu Municipal Government of Osaka Prefecture on Oct. 5 launched a "video time capsule" service that allows residents to
Japan PM, Yokohama mayor agree to cooperate on 2027 horticultural expo
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Yokohama Mayor Atsumi Harasawa agreed Thursday to cooperate to ensure the success of an in
Japan eyes health checkup support for truant students
Some municipalities allow truant students to undergo health checkups on days and times when they would not meet other students at school.
Editorial: Is Japan PM counting on voters to forget 'money in politics' scandals?
The problem of money in Japan's politics remains neglected. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has shown no sign of attempting to eradicate it.Fresh allega
School in Japan's Nagoya meets parents after scrapping annual class photos
NAGOYA -- A municipal elementary school here held its first meeting for parents on the night of Oct. 19 after abolishing annual class photos, revealin
Sanae Takaichi’s First Year in Office: What Has Changed?
Today marks one year since Sanae Takaichi made history as Japan’s first female prime minister. Her premiership has included a decisive election victory, renewed tensions with China over Taiwan and a series of economic pledges aimed at easing pressure on households. Yet as she ent...
Education ministry calls for University of Tokyo to review president selection
It is the first time the government has requested a review of how a university selected its president.
Live snake found on plane after flight canceled in southwestern Japan
FUKUOKA (Kyodo) -- A small creature spotted aboard an airplane that caused its flight cancellation Monday in southwestern Japan turned out to be a non
Japan ministry asks University of Tokyo to review president selection
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's education ministry on Tuesday asked the University of Tokyo to review the selection process of its next president, who placed
Infantino set to take his FIFA re-election campaign to Japan to court Asian soccer federations
TOKYO (AP) -- Gianni Infantino's campaign for re-election as FIFA president is set to move this week to Japan and a meeting scheduled for Wednesday wi
Newcomer Harasawa defeats ex-mayor accused of abuse in Yokohama
YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) -- Newcomer Atsumi Harasawa won the Yokohama mayoral election Sunday with the backing of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and othe
Harasawa wins Yokohama election, defeats ex-mayor accused of abuse
YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) -- Lawyer Atsumi Harasawa, backed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and some other parties, won the Yokohama mayoral election Su
Why harassment scandals continue engulfing Japan’s local leaders
The former mayor of Yokohama lost his reelection bid following a harassment scandal, in a case that highlights an ongoing problem in the nation.
Japan’s Agriculture Ministers: A Troubled History of Scandals and Resignations
Arata Takebe was appointed as the new Japanese agriculture minister on October 15 after Kazuo Yana resigned. Yana became the first member of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet to step down following criticism over remarks suggesting he would cut road funding for municipaliti...
Yokohama elects new mayor after power harassment controversy
The poll was held after former Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka's resignation in September over a workplace harassment scandal.
Pay gap stokes fears of child care worker drain to big cities
CHIBA (Kyodo) -- Municipalities neighboring major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka are increasingly concerned about losing child care workers to better-
Central Japan inn takes kelp beyond the table with immersive experience
TOYAMA (Kyodo) -- At an inn in central Japan devoted to kombu, or Japanese edible kelp, guests can enjoy the seaweed in food and cocktails, soak in ko
Part of disused Kobe tunnel featured in 'Death Note' to become data center
KOBE -- The Kobe Municipal Government will lease about 3 kilometers of a massive disused tunnel in the mountains of Nishi Ward in this west Japan city
East Japan's Yokosuka introduces AI English learning app in all public middle schools
YOKOSUKA, Kanagawa -- This east Japan city has become the first municipality in Kanagawa Prefecture to introduce an artificial intelligence (AI)-power
Central Japan assembly OKs Japan's 1st ordinance to fine abusive customers
TSU, Japan (Kyodo) -- The central Japan prefecture of Mie on Friday enacted the country's first ordinance to impose penalties on abusive customers, su
Power harassment and a possible casino weigh on Yokohama mayoral election
While Takeharu Yamanaka promised to change his behavior, he has also rekindled the question of, and his opposition to, a potential casino development.
Mie Prefecture enacts Japan’s first ordinance penalizing customer harassment
According to the prefectural government, it is the first ordinance in Japan to impose penalties for customer harassment.
Allegations mount as Japan farm minister quits over funding scandal; home district furious
Kazuo Yana resigned as Japan's agriculture minister after just 28 days in office. But voters in his home constituency, Tochigi's No. 3 district, remai
Editorial: Japan PM Takaichi waited too long to dismiss unfit farm minister
It has been about two weeks since agriculture minister Kazuo Yana's remarks about cutting funding for municipalities whose leaders didn't back him in
Yokohama’s Mayoral Race Includes a Pritzker-Winning Architect and Scandal-Hit Former Mayor
With the Yokohama mayoral election days away, early voting is running about 30% ahead of the same point in last year’s race. By October 11, a total of 156,359 voters had cast their ballots early, according to the city’s election administration commission — adding fresh momentum t...
Farm chief appears to backtrack on legality issue over free voter bus rides
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese agriculture minister Kazuo Yana on Wednesday appeared to backtrack on his assertion that his past provision of free bus ride
Aquarium in Japan's Wakayama Pref. gets spooky with 'vampire' creatures for Halloween
SUSAMI, Wakayama -- A special exhibition titled "A Halloween party with vampires" has opened at the Susami Municipal Aquarium of Crab and Shrimp in th
Japan's information service firm serving municipalities reports data leak
OSAKA (Kyodo) -- Japan's information distribution service company serving local governments across the country said Tuesday that up to 3.1 million rec
Mayor in east Japan gave wrong explanation for banning mosque's group prayers in park
ICHIKAWA, Chiba -- The mayor of this city east of Japan's capital gave an incorrect explanation at a news conference concerning the city's decision to
Japanese municipalities with over 5% foreign nationals up more than twofold
The internal affairs ministry data show increases in foreign populations not only in major cities and industrial districts but also in rural areas.
Japanese Communist Party reverses opposition election cooperation policy
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese Communist Party said Monday it would abandon its policy of cooperating with other opposition parties in national electio
Sightseeing bus serving conveyor-belt sushi to launch in Tokyo
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Conveyor-belt sushi is hitting the road in Tokyo, with tours aboard a double-decker sightseeing bus set to begin Saturday.The Sushi B
Japan city hit with higher damages order for harming 'Chiitan' mascot's work
TOKYO -- The Intellectual Property High Court here ordered the Susaki Municipal Government of Kochi Prefecture to pay higher damages Oct. 7 over its i
BOJ's Sato backs gradual rate hikes despite opposing Sept. increase
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Bank of Japan policy board member Ayano Sato said she supports gradually raising the central bank's policy interest rate, signaling o
Land ministry says no pressure from embattled farm minister over budgets
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's land ministry said Tuesday that officials felt no pressure from the farm minister to cut road budgets for municipalities head
What did Japan's scandal-stricken farm minister say to get him into so much hot water?
The Mainichi Shimbun has found that road budgets rose in municipalities in Japanese farm minister Kazuo Yana's district, Tochigi No. 3, whose leaders
Evacuation order to be partially lifted in Fukushima town
Futaba is one of two municipalities that host Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings' Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
Hokkaido ranked most attractive prefecture for 18th year in a row
Three cities in Hokkaido — Sapporo, Hakodate and Otaru — also ranked as the top three most attractive municipalities in Japan, a survey found.
Scandal-hit mayor up against six challengers in Yokohama race
Former Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka is in focus ahead of the Oct. 18 poll, which comes just weeks after his resignation over harassment.
A first look aboard the shinkansen’s new Supreme Class
From Oct. 1, select trains running between Tokyo and Hakata will offer the most luxurious way yet to travel on a bullet train.
Fukushima firm uses decommissioning know-how to develop AI robots
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A Fukushima company that once had virtually no expertise in operating machinery remotely is now setting out to develop AI-powered rob
Mayor of Yawata who took maternity leave among Time's rising stars
NEW YORK (Kyodo) -- Shoko Kawata, the 36-year-old mayor of Yawata in Kyoto Prefecture, believed to be the first incumbent mayor in Japan to take mater
Residents mixed over east Japan city's decision to accept nuclear waste disposal survey
HITACHIOMIYA, Ibaraki -- Residents expressed mixed views over a decision by the mayor of this eastern Japan city on Sept. 30 to accept a document-base
Why Yuko Fujigaki Was Chosen as Tokyo University’s Next President
On Monday, faculty and staff at the University of Tokyo took part in a vote to help determine the university’s next president. When the results came in, the margin was striking: Takao Someya received 1,107 votes, just over twice as many as the 553 cast for Yuko Fujigaki in the de...
Japan mayor who took maternity leave named to Time’s list of most influential
Shoko Kawata, the mayor of Yawata, Kyoto Prefecture, was named to the magazine's list of Most Influential Rising Stars.
City near Tokyo OKs survey for possible selection as nuclear waste site
MITO, Japan (Kyodo) -- The mayor of a city in Ibaraki Prefecture, near Tokyo, said Wednesday it will accept a preliminary survey that the industry min
Ex-Yokohama mayor to attempt election comeback after power harassment resignation
YOKOHAMA -- Former Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka formally announced his candidacy on Sept. 29 for the Oct. 18 rerun mayoral election, with campaign
Japan's longest loop trail opens in northern Ibaraki Pref.
HITACHIOMIYA, Ibaraki -- The Hitachinokuni Long Trail, which takes hikers through forests and mountain village landscapes across six municipalities in
Igarashi and Ikeda clinch surfing gold at Asian Games
Japan also secured another medal in surfing, with Minami Nonaka securing bronze in the women's shortboard event.
Japan’s new arctic research vessel set to arrive in December
Mirai II will replace the 8,700-ton Mirai, which was decommissioned in December last year.
Ex-Yokohama mayor to run for comeback after resigning over abuse of power
YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) -- Former Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka, who stepped down earlier this month after admitting he bullied and verbally assaulted sub
Former Yokohama mayor embroiled in harassment scandal to seek reelection
Former Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka resigned on Sept. 7 after a senior city official accused him of power harassment.