China announces anti-dumping probe into Japanese chip-related chemical

China has announced it will launch an anti-dumping probe into imports of a chemical from Japan used mainly for semiconductor production.

The Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday that the investigative authority will study to what extent the price of a chemical called…[Read more]

Japan condemns China’s dual-use export ban as rare earth curbs loom

Japan called China’s ban on dual-use exports for its military “absolutely unacceptable” on Wednesday, amid a looming threat of broader curbs on vital rare earths in an escalating dispute between Asia’s top two economies.
Dual-use items are goods, software or technologies that…[Read more]

Japan’s Department Stores Close for New Year, Giving Their Employees a Break

Most major department stores were closed for the New Year, as they sought to give their employees a holiday break. When they reopened for their first sales of the year, shoppers flocked to the stores.

All Sogo & Seibu Co. stores were closed on New Year’s Day, and the…[Read more]

More than 100 shelter overnight in Japan shrine due to heavy snow

More than 100 people have had to shelter in a shrine on a mountain top in Japan after heavy snowfall cut off access by road.

Around 130 people were forced to spend the night in the halls and lobbies of the Mitsumine Shrine in the Saitama prefecture on Friday after the roads around…[Read more]

Japan sends letter to UN after China’s 2nd letter on Takaichi’s Taiwan remarks

Japan has sent a second letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres rebutting China’s assertions regarding remarks that Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae made about Taiwan. This comes after China sent Guterres a second letter about the issue.

Takaichi told…[Read more]

Soaring Costs Creating Choppy Waters for Urban Development Projects as Old Ways Reaching Limits

Soaring construction costs are forcing developers to review their plans for urban development projects, with some slashing building sizes or even starting from scratch before seeking approval to begin breaking ground.

Urban development projects often…[Read more]

Japan’s economy minister says up to BOJ to decide ‘specific monetary policy means’

Japan’s economic revitalisation minister, Minoru Kiuchi, called on the central bank to closely communicate with the government in setting monetary policy on Friday, but did not voice opposition to a near-term interest rate hike.
Asked about growing prospects of an…[Read more]

Japan manufacturers’ union to target $77 monthly base pay hike next year

A Japanese labour union group representing major manufacturers said on Wednesday that it would seek an increase of at least 12,000 yen ($77) in monthly base pay for next year, the same target as this year.
The Japan Council of Metalworkers’ Unions (JCM) is considered a…[Read more]

Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics Closing Ceremony Held in Shibuya

The closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, sponsored by The Yomiuri Shimbun and others, was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, on Wednesday.

This was the first time in its 100-year history that the Deaflympics were held in Japan. About 280,000…[Read more]

Honda Resumes Output as China-Linked Chip Bottleneck Ends

Honda announced on November 25th that production has resumed at its automobile plant in Mexico after operations were halted from late October due to a semiconductor shortage.

The factory restarted on November 19th local time as supplies began to stabilize following export restrictions…[Read more]

Yen and Japanese bonds continue to retreat as verbal intervention lacking

The yen and Japanese government bonds continued to retreat Thursday as confidence failed to return, and negative sentiment snowballed, even as stocks rebounded following a decisive overnight rally in the United States.
A massive stimulus package set to be announced Friday…[Read more]

Massive Fire Ravages Oita for Third Day

A major fire that erupted in the Saganoseki district of Oita City on November 18th and resulted in one fatality continued to burn into its third day on November 20th, with firefighters maintaining round-the-clock operations in an effort to bring the blaze under control.

Police are working to identify the…[Read more]

Offhand remark, symbolic suit signal long winter for Japan-China ties

An off-the-cuff remark by new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that triggered Japan’s biggest bust-up in years with powerful neighbour China was not meant to signal a new hardline stance.
But after openly stating how Japan might react to a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan,…[Read more]

NHK Party Leader Tachibana Arrested for Defaming Late Hyogo Assemblyman

Hyogo Prefectural Police arrested NHK Party leader Tachibana Takashi on November 9th on suspicion of defamation, alleging that he repeatedly made false statements about a former Hyogo prefectural assembly member who has since passed away.

According to investigators, in…[Read more]

Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average Rises on Hopes US Shutdown May End Soon

Japan’s Nikkei share average rose on Monday, tracking gains in U.S. stock futures as hopes grew that the historic U.S. government shutdown may end soon.

The Nikkei .N225 climbed 0.9% to 50,728.56 by 0143 GMT. The broader Topix .TOPX edged up 0.17% to 3,304.35.

“Market playe…[Read more]

Japan to Subsidize Gum Disease Screenings at Companies, Aiming for Early Detection

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry plans to provide financial support to companies that conduct periodontal disease screenings during workplace health checkups in fiscal 2026. The initiative aims to help working-age individuals, who are at a higher risk of…[Read more]

Japan’s crypto players jostle for market share on regulatory easing hopes

From the launch of new products and services in Japan to facilitating leveraged trading bets, crypto exchanges and some financial firms are rushing to cash in on rising investor enthusiasm for digital assets amid hopes of easing regulations.
The recent surge underscores a…[Read more]