Society
Society Popular Articles
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Sharp Decline in Number of Chinese Tourists But Overall Number of Visitors to Japan Exceeds Previous Record
The growth rate of Chinese tourists to Japan in November was 3.0% year-on-year, a sharp decline f...
December 17, 2025
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Bus Bound for Hokkaido’s New Chitose Airport Catches Fire Wednesday, No Injuries
An airport shuttle bus bound for New Chitose Airport caught fire on the Hokkaido Expressway in Ch...
December 18, 2025
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Nagano Pref. Village to Introduce Fines for Some Disruptive Behaviors, Number of Visitors Sees Sharp Rise After Pandemic
HAKUBA, Nagano — The village of Hakuba in Nagano Prefecture on Thursday approved the introduction...
December 21, 2025
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Akita Nairiku Line Services Resume 4 Days after Train Derailment, Fall
AKITA — Akita Nairiku Line services resumed for a 61.2-kilometer section between Aniai and Kakuno...
December 18, 2025
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Kintetsu Train Collides with Car; No Injuries Among 100 Passengers (Update1)
A Kintetsu Railway express train carrying about 100 passengers collided with a car at a railroad ...
December 20, 2025
General News
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Hakone Ekiden Banners Hung at Tokyo’s JR Shinagawa Station Ahead of Long-Distance Relay Race
Banners modeled after the sashes to be worn by runners in the Tokyo-Hakone Intercollegiate Ekiden...
December 23, 2025
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Nankai Trough Earthquake: Not All Evacuation Towers in Japan Ready for Major Tsunami
KOCHI/WAKAYAMA — Several tsunami evacuation towers built in preparation for a Nankai Trough earth...
December 23, 2025
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Takaichi Visits 2025 Press Photo Showcase in Tokyo; Top News Moments of the Year Include LDP Election
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has visited an exhibition of the most defining news photographs fro...
December 23, 2025
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Hepburn Romaji Deemed Standard for Japanese Words, Names; Change from Kunrei Style to Be Implemented in Fiscal 2026
The government has decided to make the Hepburn style of romaji, or romanized Japanese, the offici...
December 23, 2025
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Japanese Actors Haru, Mahiro Takasugi Announce Marriage
Actors Haru and Mahiro Takasugi announced their marriage through their respective Instagram accou...
December 23, 2025
Crime & Courts
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Japanese Woman Investigated for Allegedly Attempting to Break into BTS Member Jung Kook’s Home
SEOUL — Police announced Monday that they are investigating a Japanese woman in her 50s on suspic...
December 23, 2025
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9 Japanese Police Officers Suspected of Online Casino Gambling
Kobe, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)—The prefectural police department of Hyogo, western Japan, has sent pa...
December 23, 2025
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Japan Actor Ryoko Hirosue Given Summary Indictment over Car Accident
Shizuoka, Dec. 22 (Jiji Press)—Japanese public prosecutors issued a summary indictment on Monday ...
December 23, 2025
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Hong Kong Police Detain 15 in Robbery Case Involving Theft of ¥1 Billion
HONG KONG - Hong Kong police announced Monday they had detained 15 Hong Kong residents in connect...
December 22, 2025
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Elderly Couple Tied Up, Robbed of ¥10 Mil. Yen at Home in Japan’s Shizuoka Pref.
SHIZUOKA – An elderly couple were attacked at their residence in Nagaizumi, Shizuoka Prefecture, ...
December 22, 2025
Imperial Family
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Imperial Family Views Photo Exhibition Themed on Wartime Tokyo to End Series of WWII-Related Visits on War’s 80th Anniversary
The Emperor and Empress and their daughter Princess Aiko visited the National Showa Memorial Muse...
December 22, 2025
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Princess Aiko Hosts Diplomatic Guests from 16 Countries at Duck Netting Event in Saitama Pref.
Princess Aiko, the daughter of the Emperor and Empress, hosted a diplomatic delegation from 16 co...
December 18, 2025
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Japan’s Princess Aiko Attends Ceremony for Chiba University’s School of Nursing
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Princess Aiko on Sunday attended a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversa...
December 14, 2025
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Yomiuri Survey Finds 69% ‘Favor’ Female Emperor, While 68% ‘Worried’ About Stable Succession
A recent Yomiuri Shimbun survey found that 69% of respondents were in favor of revising the Imper...
December 14, 2025
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Japan’s Empress Turns 62, Reaffirms Pledge to Peace
The Empress turned 62 on Tuesday and reaffirmed her pledge to peace, with this year marking 80 ye...
December 9, 2025
Obituaries
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Former Japan Top Bureaucrat Kazuhiro Sugita Dies at 84
Tokyo, Dec. 22 (Jiji Press)—Kazuhiro Sugita, who was Japan’s longest-serving deputy chief cabinet...
December 23, 2025
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Singer-Songwriter Chris Rea, Known for ‘Driving Home for Christmas,’ Dies at 74
LONDON (AP) — Chris Rea, the singer and songwriter best known for the hit “Driving Home for Chris...
December 23, 2025
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‘General Hospital’ Star Anthony Geary of Luke and Laura Fame Dies at 78
Anthony Geary, who rose to fame in the 1970s and '80s as half the daytime TV super couple Luke an...
December 16, 2025
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Japanese Film Director Masato Harada Dies at 76
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Japanese film director Masato Harada, known for socially conscious works inc...
December 14, 2025
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Frank Gehry, the Most Celebrated Architect of His Time, Dies at 96
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Frank Gehry, who designed some of the most imaginative buildings ever construc...
December 6, 2025
Social Series
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Social Media and Elections: Politics Today / Japan Needs to Prepare for Foreign Interference in Polls; Constitutional Reform Referendums a Likely Target
This is the third and final installment in a series that examines how political parties understan...
June 13, 2025
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Social Media and Elections: Politics Today / Voters in Japan Might Be Influenced by Biased Information Online; Ruling, Opposition Parties in Talks About Strengthening Responses
“Take-home pay will end up increasing.”
...June 12, 2025
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Social Media and Elections: Politics Today / Political Parties Scrambling to Use Social Media Effectively After Elections Across Japan
The Diet has been unable to implement effective measures to address confusion caused by social me...
June 11, 2025
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Social Media and Elections: Outdated System / Social Media’s Decisive Role in Mayoral Race Sparks Debate on Use of Internet in Campaigns
This is the final installment in a series of articles that examines the challenges faced by the n...
May 7, 2025
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Social Media and Elections: Outdated System / Surrogate Candidates Threaten Fairness of Japan’s Elections, Causing Local Govts to Lose Patience
This is the fourth installment in a series that examines the challenges faced by the nation’s ele...
May 6, 2025
Coronavirus
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COVID-19 Cases up for 8th Consecutive Week in Japan; Omicron Subvariant Nimbus Accounts for About 40% of Infections
The number of people infected with COVID-19 has increased for eight consecutive weeks, driven by ...
August 16, 2025
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60% of Special COVID-19 Loans in Arrears at End of 2024; Government Directs Local Authorities to Boost Support
A total of ¥241.3 billion in special government loans meant to mitigate the financial impact of t...
May 19, 2025
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5 Years After Confirmation of First Coronavirus Infection, Japan Must Take Steps to Prepare for Next Pandemic
Wednesday will mark five years since the first novel coronavirus infection was confirmed in Japan...
January 13, 2025
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¥468.5 Bil. Loaned to Households Due to COVID-19 is Now Uncollectable; Number May Increase with Further Defaults
Of the over ¥1.4 trillion loaned to households in financial distress due to COVID-19 through the ...
October 24, 2024
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Long COVID Forces 50% to Quit or Take Sick Leave From Job; Some Employers Dismiss Staff’s Needs, Say Illness Not Real
Many people suffering from so-called long COVID have been forced to quit their jobs or take sick ...
August 22, 2024
Noto Peninsula Earthquake
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New Research Results Show 19 Square Kilometers of Land Underwent Liquefaction in Noto Peninsula Earthquake; Amount Thought to be Increased by Sand Blown in from Sea of Japan
Ground liquefaction caused by last year’s Noto Peninsula Earthquake is estimated to have damaged ...
November 25, 2025
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Japan Experts Urge Preparations for ‘Compound Disasters’; 1 Year Since Torrential Rains Hit Quake-Battered Peninsula
TOKYO/WAJIMA, Ishikawa — Sunday marked one year since torrential rains devastated areas that had ...
September 21, 2025
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Volunteers Harvest Rice from Terraced Paddies in Wajima; Crop Was Successful Despite Damage from Earthquake, Torrential Rains
WAJIMA, Ishikawa Prefecture — About 100 local residents and volunteer workers harvested rice at t...
September 18, 2025
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118 Houses Left Damaged With No Known Owner After Noto Quake; Number Expected to Rise as Investigations Continue
KANAZAWA — At least 118 houses have been left damaged and with no known owner in six cities and t...
July 2, 2025
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Mangaka Go Nagai Donates Works to Hometown Wajima; ‘Mazinger Z’ Creator Continues Support for Quake-Hit Area’s Recovery
WAJIMA, Ishikawa — Go Nagai, the creator of manga series such as “Mazinger Z” and “Devilman,” don...
July 2, 2025
JN Popular Articles
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Tokyo Economic Security Forum to Hold Inaugural Meeting Amid Tense Global Environment
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Keidanren Chairman Yoshinobu Tsutsui Visits Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant; Inspects New Emergency Safety System
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Imports of Rare Earths from China Facing Delays, May Be Caused by Deterioration of Japan-China Relations
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University of Tokyo Professor Discusses Japanese Economic Security in Interview Ahead of Forum
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Japan Pulls out of Vietnam Nuclear Project, Complicating Hanoi’s Power Plans
JN TOP STORIES
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Hakone Ekiden Banners Hung at Tokyo’s JR Shinagawa Station Ahead of Long-Distance Relay Race
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Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi Informs Economy Minister of Local Approval to Restart Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant; TEPCO to Restart No. 6 Reactor on Jan. 20
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Takaichi Visits 2025 Press Photo Showcase in Tokyo; Top News Moments of the Year Include LDP Election
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Japan’s Budget Proposal for Fiscal 2026: General Account to Hit Record ¥122 Trillion
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Salaries of Japan’s SDF Personnel to Increase in Fiscal 2027; Schedule Moved up by 1 Year
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Japanese Woman Investigated for Allegedly Attempting to Break into BTS Member Jung Kook’s Home