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News in Easy English: Young priests try to keep temples in Japan's countryside open
TSUYAMA, Okayama -- In the hills of Okayama Prefecture, young Buddhist priests have a big problem. Many temples have fewer people. This is a big probl
News
Japan megabanks to skip third batch of U.S. investments
The three — MUFG Bank, Mizuho Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking — are making final arrangements to forgo participation.
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Japan’s biggest labor union federation calls for 6% wage hike in 2027
Member unions typically submit their wage demands by around February, with companies responding from March onward.
business
SoftBank market value halves from peak as AI fears grow
After briefly overtaking Toyota as Japan's biggest company, SoftBank's market capitalization is now smaller than that of Hitachi and Recruit.
Local
Japan FA president pushes Premier League pipeline for Japanese talent. Infantino traveling in Asia
TOKYO (AP) -- The best place to develop Japanese talent is in the English Premier League, the president of the Japan Football Association told contine
business
Where to Buy Pokémon Cards in Tokyo
The best shops in the city, with map links to find them The post Where to Buy Pokémon Cards in Tokyo appeared first on Metropolis Japan .
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The Best Anime Songs of All Time
Certified bangers, no skips The post The Best Anime Songs of All Time appeared first on Metropolis Japan .
News
“Ruby-chan! Hai! Nani ga suki?” Trend Explained: What It Means and Where It’s From
The sugary Japanese idol song that's got everyone asking, “Ruby-chan, what do you like?” The post “Ruby-chan! Hai! Nani ga suki?” Trend Explained: What It Means and Where It’s From appeared first on Metropolis Japan ....
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The Akiya Dream: Life Beyond the Front Door
Can foreign akiya (vacant home) owners become neighbors, not just visitors? The post The Akiya Dream: Life Beyond the Front Door appeared first on Metropolis Japan ....
government
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
Local
Japan researchers uncover how dwarf reed snakes roll at high speed to escape predators
TOKYO -- Dwarf reed snakes, found in Southeast Asia and elsewhere, display an unusual escape behavior when they encounter a threat: They form their bo
business
Japan makes ED drugs easier to buy as men face sex-related fears
TOKYO -- Drugstores across Japan began selling an over-the-counter erectile dysfunction (ED) medication in late August, making treatment easier to obt
business
Japan to introduce cashless traffic fine payments from July
Fines are currently payable only at bank or post office counters, which are unavailable outside business hours.
News
Most BOJ watchers expect next interest rate hike in December
More than 80% of Bank of Japan watchers anticipate the central bank's next interest rate increase will come in December, according to a recent survey.
News
Health ministry questions reliability of vasculitis drug approval data
Tavneos was launched in Japan in 2022 after being approved by the ministry. Its package insert listed liver dysfunction as a serious side effect.
News
Japan life insurers’ bond-buying plans set to support JGBs
Insurers have been net buyers of superlong government bonds for four months, a trend strategists say could provide an anchor in upcoming auctions.
News
Asian Para Games: Boccia bronze stirs emotions for Takahashi at injury site
NAGOYA (Kyodo) -- Japan's Kazuki Takahashi became emotional after winning bronze in the men's individual BC3 boccia event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Pa
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Asian Para Games: Japan racers sweep podium, pay tribute to dead teammate
NAGOYA (Kyodo) -- Wheelchair racer Tomoki Sato led a Japanese podium sweep in the men's 100-meter T51/T52 final Wednesday at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Pa
Local
Foreign visitors' spending in Japan hits record 7 tril. yen in Jan.-Sept
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Spending by foreign visitors to Japan hit a record 7.06 trillion yen ($45 billion) in the nine months through September, the Japan To
safety
Emergency flood warning issued for river in Akita, northeast Japan
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's weather agency on Wednesday issued a special flood warning, the highest level of its kind, for the Koyoshi River in the north
News
Japanese garbage collectors experimentally use e-scooters during work
YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) -- Garbage collectors in a Japanese city on Wednesday began riding electric kick scooters to move around collection sites on a trial
News
Family of driver who died after truck fell into Saitama sinkhole sues prefecture
The family says they suffered extreme psychological distress over an extended period, and that the man had carried out his duties with utmost care.
News
Two Japanese climbers missing in the Himalayas
The two Japanese nationals have been out of contact since Oct. 15 and local authorities have been searching for them.
News
Japan and U.S. to conduct drills under extreme conditions as typhoon nears
The largest-ever joint Japan-U.S. military training exercise is making use of Typhoon Champi to train troops during adverse weather.
News
Strict rules at shelters deter victims of domestic violence in Japan
One major obstacle is a rule barring women from bringing smartphones into shelters, a measure meant to keep abusers from tracking them down.
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Patient recovering well after iPS heart sheet surgery in Japan
OSAKA (Kyodo) -- A woman treated for severe heart failure with a cardiac muscle sheet derived from induced pluripotent stem cells is recovering well a
News
Japan records latest-ever 30 C October hot day
Warm air associated with a high-pressure system spread over eastern and western Japan, pushing temperatures higher along the Pacific coast on Oct. 21.
business
Buoyed by community support, flood-hit ramen shop in Chiba reopens
Messages of encouragement from customers and people in the neighborhood helped the owner of Ramen Mitake to find the strength to start over.
News
Japan ends 60-year drought with a bronze medal at gymnastics world championships
China denied the United States women an eighth consecutive team title as Qiu Qiyuan secured a dramatic victory with the final routine.
News
‘Umamusume’ concert cancellation highlights visa hurdles for Japanese performers
The canceled concerts underscore the visa challenges facing Japanese performers as demand for the country's pop culture grows overseas.
library
Festive Christmas and Holiday Dinners in Tokyo 2026
Where to book a festive meal this season—from skyline hotels to cozy brasseries The post Festive Christmas and Holiday Dinners in Tokyo 2026 appeared first on Metropolis Japan ....
Local
Halloween in Tokyo 2026
Our roundup of spooky events to fill your calendar The post Halloween in Tokyo 2026 appeared first on Metropolis Japan .
News
Editorial: 1 yr into office, PM Takaichi's go-it-alone style is widening Japan's divisions
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi marked one year in office on Oct. 21. She set sail from the dire position of a ruling bloc that lacked a majorit
business
Tokyo stocks up on SpaceX results but shy ahead of earnings releases
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks rose Wednesday after U.S. company SpaceX released robust earnings results, although gains were limited compared with rec
News
Gymnastics: Japan defends men's team world title, qualifies for Olympics
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (Kyodo) -- Japan successfully defended its men's team title Tuesday at the artistic gymnastics world championships, securing qu
News
Easy Japanese news in translation: Event commemorates 1 year since Osaka Expo's end
The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition held a commemorative event in the city of Osaka on October 13, one year after the end of Expo 2025
News
Rubio says summit of US, Japan, Australia, India to be held next month
NEW DELHI (Kyodo) -- The leaders of the United States, Japan, Australia and India are set to hold a meeting of their so-called Quad grouping next mont
Local
BOJ to decide at next week's meeting whether 2% inflation target reached
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Bank of Japan will decide at its policy meeting next week whether the underlying inflation rate has reached its 2 percent target,
News
Rice Remorse: Most Japanese Feel Guilty About Wasting Staple Grain
A recent Japanese survey tackled the problem of wasted rice at mealtimes, and ways to address it.