A proposal to map charts through five straits comes as Japan fears trade disruption from choke points in the South China Sea and off Malacca.
Data from the Kyoto City Tourism Association shows a sharp decline in Chinese overnight stays as a result of growing bilateral tensions.
21 Jul 2026 - 8:00AM videocam
Locals make up the vast majority of Japan’s mountain rescues, yet internet anger is largely reserved for ill-equipped tourists.
The Fukuoka prefectural government admitted it spent more than US$2 million on the excursions, triggering public anger.
The initiative will make Tokyo weigh its international law commitments against its dependence on the US security umbrella, analysts say.
A New York Times article claims Maksim Vladimirovich Filchenkov, a top Russian official, is leading the covert operation in Japan.
Analysts say the Torifune fly-by highlights Tokyo’s growing role in global space safety efforts and its ‘goodwill science’ policy.
12 Jul 2026 - 12:00PM videocam
Tokyo is banking on a massive visitor boom to do what its factories and financiers increasingly cannot: carry the economy forward.
Activists urge Tokyo to reject the request, pointing to evidence that the military weaponised previous Japanese aid vessels.
7 Jul 2026 - 3:44PM videocam
Japan regularly drills its schoolchildren for earthquakes evacuations, but foreign visitors are another matter entirely.
The prime minister is looking to make India an ‘important part’ of Japan’s security transition while boosting economic ties, analysts say.
A court order to compensate the family of a detainee shows reforms to immigration centres are urgently needed, observers say.
Analysts say Japan wants to accelerate production of drones to protect its territory given its shortage of military manpower.
30 Jun 2026 - 3:54PM videocam
An assault case involving five Japanese girls has cast a spotlight on the consequences of AI misuse.
Some women argue against the double standards, saying they have to wear stockings to work even in summer.
18 Jun 2026 - 6:46PM videocam
After the 1 trillion yen SpaceJet flop, Japan is pinning its hopes on an aerospace comeback to bridge the technology gap with China.
Analysts say Japan can bring precision manufacturing to the European project aimed at building a home-grown alternative to US-made drones.
16 Jun 2026 - 5:20PM videocam
Critics question the necessity of safe zones for women. Passengers say a culture of ‘chikan’ abuse makes them vital.
Energy needs have driven Tokyo to explore cooperation with Moscow again, which could make Europe ‘uncomfortable’.
13 Jun 2026 - 9:30AM videocam
Up to 28 typhoons are predicted to affect Japan this year, with 14 likely to make landfall – close to historical extremes.
Conservatives force the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum to drop the word massacre, a move critics say downplays Japan’s wartime aggression.
8 Jun 2026 - 1:40PM videocam
A right-wing parliamentary supermajority is paving the way for Tokyo to amend its post-war pacifist constitution.
A polar law expert says the continent’s strict mining ban has no expiry date, despite concerns raised in Japan’s parliament.
3 Jun 2026 - 8:00AM videocam
Tokyo is concerned as its ageing fighters need to be replaced and the project lacks a clear development plan and schedule, analysts say.
Media insiders say Japan’s press is rarely overtly repressed, but access pressures and newsroom caution still shape what gets reported.
29 May 2026 - 8:42PM videocam
The carrier is selling payload space to preserve Earth’s heritage from climate change and war, but sceptics dismiss it as a PR stunt.
28 May 2026 - 4:48PM videocam
Japan is ‘best placed’ to establish new rules given its space capabilities and strong support for nuclear non-proliferation, analysts say.
Analysts said any delay could hinder Tokyo’s defence build-up but also open the door for Japanese firms to produce more US-designed weapons.
26 May 2026 - 12:13PM videocam
A human rights group says Japan’s penal system still fails to treat prison inmates ‘like human beings’.