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July 12, 2026
 

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Yukana Inoue
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
JAPAN
Jul 10, 2026
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
Solving the issue is crucial to developing tourism sustainably as a strategic industry for Japan, the government said in a white paper released Friday.
Content that infringes on an artist’s copyrights include using AI to make a live-action version of an anime from images of celebrities or generating anime characters’ voices to have them sing popular songs.
JAPAN
Jul 9, 2026
AI-related copyright losses cost celebrities up to ¥4.5 billion, study says
Over 43,000 AI-generated images and videos that used celebrities’ likenesses without their consent were created over a two-month period last year.
Hikers wait for a bus at a train station in Okutama on the outskirts of Tokyo on June 14 as local authorities urge visitors to take precautions following increased reports of bear sightings in the region.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 8, 2026
Tokyo considers lifting ban on bear hunting for the first time in nearly 20 years
With the move to permit culling in the capital, authorities are hoping to put pressure on the wild animal and avert human-bear conflicts.
Environmental concerns relating to the construction of Central Japan Railway’s high-speed maglev line had contributed to years of delays for the project.
JAPAN
Jul 7, 2026
Long-stalled maglev line finally gets green light from Shizuoka Prefecture
Environmental concerns had led to years of delays, but now that understanding has “steadily deepened,” it is now possible to move forward, Shizuoka’s governor said.
A record high of 804 people were arrested for possession of cocaine in 2025, up from around 160 in 2021, according to the National Police Agency.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 6, 2026
Number of people who have tried cocaine reaches new high in Japan, study shows
Those found in possession of the drug also hit a record high of 804 arrests in 2025, according to the National Police Agency.
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 6, 2026
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Hard-working Japanese businesses and creators are banding together to drive what is now one of Japan’s most valuable assets.
Tourists in Yanaka Ginza, Tokyo, on Wednesday. Japan tripled its International Tourist Tax (departure tax) to ¥3,000 from ¥1,000 on Wednesday for all travelers leaving Japan, regardless of nationality.
JAPAN
Jul 1, 2026
Japan triples departure tax in push to combat overtourism
Previously set at ¥1,000, the tax has risen to ¥3,000 for all travelers departing Japan, regardless of nationality.
The government plans to invest ¥150 billion in Rakuten Mobile in a push to develop a homegrown satellite communication system and reduce reliance on firms such as Starlink.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 30, 2026
Japan to invest ¥150 billion in Rakuten’s domestic satellite project
The investment is part of a push to develop a homegrown satellite network and to reduce Starlink’s dominance in the field.
A fan watches Japan's World Cup match against Sweden on a smartphone in Tokyo on Friday.
BUSINESS
Jun 29, 2026
World Cup offers chance to find right broadcasting balance for fans in Japan
The diversification of broadcasting methods for soccer, such as online streaming, could be a potential for further growth for the sport.
A Japan Meteorological Agency official in Tokyo explains on Thursday about the two tropical storms approaching Japan.
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2026
Heavy rain continues across country with two approaching tropical storms
Central Japan Railway said the Tokaido Shinkansen may be delayed or suspended Saturday, while East Japan Railway warned of possible regular train line delays over the weekend.
A map depicting the paths of Tropical Storm Mekkhala and Tropical Storm Higos
JAPAN
Jun 25, 2026
Two storms approach Japan, with possible convergence complicating forecasts
If Tropical Storm Mekkhala and Tropical Storm Higos meet, they could act unpredictably — diverging, moving in succession, or merging into one storm.
The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan has issued a warning over a rise in air conditioner repair scams.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jun 23, 2026
Consumer affairs watchdog raises alarm over air conditioner repair scams
The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan is urging people to be on alert for offers to repair broken air conditioners that sound too good to be true.
Although paper customs forms are still available in many cases, it is no longer standard practice to hand them out on all flights.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 22, 2026
Japan to fully digitalize airport customs system by 2030
The phasing-out of paper customs declaration forms is among measures eyed by the Finance Ministry to handle the inbound movement of people and goods more efficiently.
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in March. Various cities around the world have cracked down on private lodgings, such as in Barcelona where the city is attempting to eradicate all short-stay apartments by 2028.
JAPAN
Jun 19, 2026
Japan to allow local governments to ban private lodging
The move comes amid complaints of lodgers partying at night, ignoring trash rules, and leaving cigarette butts on the streets.
Students at the campus of Harvard University. Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike on Tuesday announced a scholarship for top-level students who are looking to pursue higher education abroad.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 17, 2026
Tokyo launches scholarship program for students bound for top global universities
Only students with Japanese citizenship who are currently enrolled in a Tokyo metropolitan high school and reside in the city are eligible to apply.
A Studio Ghibli store in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture. Studio Ghibli will open a pop-up store in Los Angeles later this month, bringing a wide selection of merchandise to the U.S. for the first time.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 17, 2026
Studio Ghibli to open its first U.S. pop-up store in Los Angeles
Called “Donguri Republic in Los Angeles,” the store will be opened for six months from June. 23 to Dec. 31.
Only 102 new bookstores were opened in Japan during fiscal year 2025, which began in April last year, while 499 shops closed.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 16, 2026
Number of bookstores in Japan drops below 10,000 for the first time
Japan had 9,993 bookstores as of the end of March 2026 — just over 40% of its peak in fiscal year 1998.
Hikers walk past a bear warning sign in the Okutama area in western Tokyo on Sunday as local authorities urge visitors to take precautions following increased reports of bear sightings in the region.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Jun 16, 2026
Why more bears are entering urban areas
Five deaths have already been reported this year as of the beginning of June, with bears showing a growing willingness to roam closer to where people live.
Many older adults in Japan want to continue working as a way to earn money and stay healthy.
JAPAN
Jun 12, 2026
Nearly 40% of older adults in Japan want to keep working
The main motivation cited was the need to earn an income, followed by the notion that working helps maintain health and slow down aging.
Last year, the number of bear-related deaths in Japan hit a record high of 13. Bear sightings also set a new record.
JAPAN
Jun 9, 2026
Dayslong bear hunt in Tochigi Prefecture capital ends with animal’s capture
The city of Utsunomiya had been on high alert following reports of a bear sighting near schools and residential areas since the weekend.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

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