January 19, 2021
YOKOSUKA, Kanagawa — A volunteer group comprised primarily of family members of U.S. military personnel stationed at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa Prefecture continues to provide support for those affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, nearly a decade after the disaster. For many mem...
The Tokyo metropolitan government announced Monday that 1,204 cases of newly found infections with the novel coronavirus had been confirmed in Tokyo. The daily number of new infections exceeded 1,000 for the sixth consecutive day. The number was the second-highest so far for a Monday, after the 1,...
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga vowed Monday to make every effort to be prepared for Japan’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout, in his policy speech to mark the convocation of a 150-day Diet session that will run through June 16. Suga’s first policy speech since his inauguration was delivered at ple...
The approval rating for the Cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga dropped six percentage points to 39% in January from the previous poll taken in December, a nationwide survey conducted by The Yomi...
The International Olympic Committee has estimated that about 6,000 athletes will participate in the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Olympics, half the initial prediction before the event was postponed,...
SEOUL — South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Monday that, from the standpoint of Japan-South Korea relations, it is undesirable to convert the assets seized from Japanese companies into cash in a...
This is the 11th installment of a series in which intellectuals share their thoughts on political issues the administration of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will tackle this year. For this installment...
The government plans to commercialize the mining of cobalt and other rare metals that are found on the seabed around Japan’s easternmost point of Minamitorishima island, part of the Ogasawara Island...
Sunday marked the 30th anniversary of the outbreak of the Gulf War, in which multinational forces led by the U.S. launched a military attack against Iraq, which had invaded Kuwait, and restored order....
It is vital for NHK to expedite self-sacrificing reform and drastically reduce receiving fees. The public broadcaster should release to the public as soon as possible concrete measures on how it will ...
A Yomiuri Shimbun nationwide poll found that 52% of people disagreed with the idea of punishing restaurants and bars for refusing to comply with orders issued by prefectural governors under a state of...
The appeal of ginger is its tingling, pungent flavor and invigorating aroma. That’s why the spice is used in so many condiments. However, another way to enjoy ginger’s sharp taste is by making a s...
Ice crystals sparkle in the sunlight as they fly about at Mt. Izari, straddling the cities of Chitose and Eniwa in Hokkaido. The so-called diamond dust was seen in the mountain on Sunday, when Chito...
Keep track of the coronavirus epidemic as it unfolds in Japan. Relevant stories and graphics appear below covering events up to and including the current state of emergency and the future outlook. ...
The following charts give a visual representation of the spread of the novel coronavirus in Japan and around the world. The first shows the extensiveness of cases in relation to a nation’s populatio...
Takekazu Inoue entered the downtown area of Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, as a volunteer after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. In April 2011, the 51-year-old was asked by a local organization ...
TOKAMACHI, Niigata — Seeking a deeper bond in a new marriage? Maybe tossing the groom into deep snow can help. Such a unique Lunar New Year tradition was held on Friday at Matsunoyama Onsen in...
This is the tenth installment of a series in which intellectuals share their thoughts on political issues the administration of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will tackle this year. For this installmen...
Using a smartphone app that has the feel of a video game, the Environment Ministry has launched an ongoing event to encourage people to contemplate climate change. Called “Kikohendo Ikimono Daicho...
When the government declared a state of emergency last April, Kaori Fujiwara, a 46-year-old senior executive officer at Kewpie Corp., who had joined the company just a month before, felt intuitively t...
KAWAGOE, Saitama — It’s that time of year: Ripe red strawberries are ready for picking. A company called @FARM in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, welcomes visitors during the pandemic while taking...
This is the ninth installment of a series in which intellectuals share their thoughts on political issues the administration of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will tackle this year. For this installmen...
At Culaful, a children’s theme park and cafe in Minato Ward, Tokyo, children can play as though they were at a campsite surrounded by nature, despite being located in a big city where skyscrapers cr...
Keep track of the coronavirus epidemic as it unfolds in Japan. Relevant stories and graphics appear below covering events up to and including the current state of emergency and the future outlook. ...
The following charts give a visual representation of the spread of the novel coronavirus in Japan and around the world. The first shows the extensiveness of cases in relation to a nation’s populatio...
Kabuki is going digital! Shochiku Co., a company that puts on kabuki performances, aims to gain more fans through the launch of a smartphone app that utilizes augmented reality (AR) technology. The...
A shortage of semiconductors is forcing the world’s major automakers to cut production across the board. This is because demand for the devices mainly used in PCs and smartphones, has increased rapi...
The target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero in 2050 is “one of the most important management issues,” Nippon Steel Corp. President Eiji Hashimoto, 65, said in an interview with The...
A Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry advisory committee on Friday largely approved a draft plan to revise the infectious diseases law to penalize coronavirus patients who refuse to be hospitalized. ...
The health ministry plans to carry out vaccinations against COVID-19 at about 10,000 medical facilities among other locations nationwide, making them function as vaccination bases, The Yomiuri Shimbun...
Major izakaya chain operator Monteroza Co. plans to permanently close nearly 20% of its 337 outlets in Tokyo, including Uotami and Shirokiya locations, amid the coronavirus pandemic. In response to ...
Power stability has been walking a tightrope particularly in western Japan following severe cold weather since late last year as well as heavy snow on the Sea of Japan coast. Demand for electricit...
With widespread mask-wearing drawing more attention to people’s eyes, imports of makeup such as eye shadow and mascara, mainly from South Korea, are on the rise. According to Osaka Customs, natio...
The Japan News has partnered with media startup inkl, a news service that curates articles from the world’s leading publishers for users to read on mobile devices. A selection of articles from The Japan News and The Yomiuri Shimbun is now available to read on inkl, which hosts titles from about 20 countries. 
NAGASAKI — A wooden anchor from one of the Mongol Empire’s ships — which attacked Japan in the 13th century and then sank in a storm off Nagasaki Prefecture — will be salvaged in the fall of 2...
NARUTO, Tokushima — A group of buildings by leading modernist architect Tomoya Masuda (1914-81) still exists in an area of Japan known for large whirlpools at sea. Nineteen of his buildings can be...
After 21 years as a key source of entertainment and music nationwide, the popular idol group Arashi has called it quits as of Dec. 31. The five-member group was a major draw across a wide demographi...
