National
Japan-raised undocumented children fear harsher climate post-election
With policies on accepting foreigners has emerged as a hot issue in campaigning for Sunday's lower house election, foreign children raised in Japan under parents without residency status fear their futures are narrowing, including a Nigerian high school student. Using the pseudonym Emma, the third-year high school student recalled a… Read
TEPCO plans to restart reactor as early as Monday after alarm trouble
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc plans to restart a reactor at a nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture as early as Monday, after it was halted over an alarm incident, a source close to the matter said Thursday. Last month, the utility brought its first nuclear unit back online… Read
Heavy snowfall forecast in Japan on weekend, election day
Heavy snow is forecast to fall in northern and western areas along the Sea of Japan coast on the weekend, with Japan's weather agency warning it would peak on Sunday, when the country will hold a general election. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of traffic disruptions and avalanches, forecasting blizzards… Read
Monster parents drive Japan teachers to breaking point
For some teachers in Japan, the most punishing part of the job does not happen in the classroom. It comes in the form of late-night phone calls, prolonged confrontations and relentless demands from so-called monster parents -- a growing problem that is pushing educators to the brink. One holiday afternoon,… Read
Heavy snow in northern Japan blocks roads and causes dozens of deaths
Heavy snow piling up in northern Japan in the last two weeks has blocked roads and is being blamed for dozens of deaths nationwide. As of Wednesday, 15 prefectures have been affected, with snow reaching up to 2 meters in worst-hit areas. The unusually heavy snowfall is largely due to… Read
'Star Wars,' castle sculptures on display at Sapporo Snow Festival
The annual Sapporo Snow Festival opened Wednesday, showcasing around 200 ice and snow sculptures, including one with a "Star Wars" theme, across three sites in Hokkaido's largest city. On display at the 76th festival are a sculpture of the "Star Wars" characters Mandalorian and Grogu, and another approximately 15 meters… Read
Death toll from heavy snow in northern Japan reaches 30
Unusually heavy snow killed at least 30 people in Japan in the past two weeks, officials said on Tuesday, as the government deployed troops to help clear huge drifts that left residents in the country's north struggling to leave home. Authorities recorded up to 4.5 meters of snowfall in parts… Read
'Setsubun' bean-throwing festival events held across Japan
Events marking Setsubun, also known as the bean-throwing festival, were held across Japan on Tuesday. Setsubun marks the day before the beginning of spring, according to the lunar calendar. The festival involves a ritual called mamemaki, traditionally intended to drive away the evil and wish for good health for the… Read
Detective Conan faces China backlash over tie-up with contentious manga
Popular Japanese anime series "Detective Conan" has been ensnared in controversy in China following a recent collaboration with the manga series "My Hero Academia," which drew backlash in the country in 2020 over a character name that can be associated with Japan's wartime aggression. The anime's copyright holder in mainland… Read
Net population influx into Tokyo slows for 1st time in 4 years
The net influx of people into Tokyo slowed in 2025 for the first time in four years amid surging rents across the city center, while the Japanese capital remained as a hub for educational and employment opportunities, government data showed Tuesday. People moving into Tokyo outnumbered those leaving by 65,219… Read
