Kansai Airport has never lost a piece of luggage
Kansai Airport is proud to have never lost a piece of luggage in the 30 years since it opened in 1994, and the distinction has earned it recognition. Read more
Focus on Japan
The latest news, trends and photo galleries from Japan by Japan News and Yomiuri Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper founded in 1874.
AI breathes fresh life into traditions of New Year’s
Artificial intelligence is being used in new and diverse ways during the New Year’s holidays. Read more
Snake statue ready for 2025
A massive statue of a snake — the Chinese zodiac sign for 2025 — has been installed at Tatsumizu Shrine in Tsu. Read more
Gotsu hot springs area is heating up again
A hot spring area in western Shimane prefecture has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts, thanks to a unique strategy of turning the entire town into what is effectively an all-inclusive resort. Read more
Kyoto is making traditional shows more social media-friendly
“Photo time” offers audiences watching Noh, Kabuki and other traditional performing arts the chance to take photos of the stage and actors after the end of the show, and it’s spreading throughout the Kansai region. Read more
New rules aimed at averting abuse of medications
Amid concerns that some over-the-counter drugs are being abused, Japan’s Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has compiled a draft plan to revise the rules on how the medications are displayed on store shelves. Read more
Students carry on wish of hibakusha teacher
Hibakusha is a Japanese word for people affected by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Read more
Processing of radioactive sandbags at Fukushima power plant set to begin
Following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, there were meltdowns in three reactors. Read more
Researchers capture electricity generated by orchard microbes
Shikoku Electric Power Co., researchers from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, and other organizations have begun tests to explore the possibility of “microbial power generation” in mikan (mandarin orange) orchards in Yawatahama and Ikata in Ehime prefecture. Read more
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‘Distracted cyclists’ could now face time in prison
Tougher penalties will be levied against anyone who uses a mobile phone while riding a bicycle, under the revised Road Traffic Law that went into effect Nov. 1. Read more
A new plan proposes the use of a trackless tram to transport hikers
Japanese authorities seeking to reduce the carbon footprint and overcrowding at Mount Fuji will propose a trackless, rubber-tire tram system made by China’s CRRC to transport climbers, a person with direct knowledge of the plan said. Read more
Tourists who fund Kyoto preservation efforts receive gifts
Kyoto City has launched the nation’s first initiative to solicit donations from international tourists, aiming to preserve the city’s traditional beauty, culture and crafts. In exchange for their contributions, donors will receive electronic gift certificates. Read more
Expediting Japanese travel part of bigger push for visitors
Japanese travel to Hawaii will now be easier as Gov. Josh Green and the visitor industry continue to work to encourage more Japanese travel despite the weakness of the yen. Read more
Japan flavors trending, drawing global visitors
Japanese mayonnaise, sauces, curry and other liquid seasonings are taking off abroad, with exports doubling in the past 10 years. Read more
Nintendo releases smartphone app for game music
Nintendo Co. has released Nintendo Music, a smartphone app that allows users to listen to video game music. Read more
Dried persimmons, an autumn jewel, arrive again in Shika
The production of koro-gaki specialty dried persimmons is reaching its peak in Shika, Ishikawa prefecture. Read more
Couple depicted horror of bombings in ‘Hiroshima Panels’
Hopes are rising that more attention will be paid to a couple who created a series of large paintings depicting the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, following Nihon Hidankyo’s 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. Read more
Tokyo students charged, fined in boulder incident
A male university student was charged in October for altering a massive boulder — known for its instability at the top of a cliff — so that it no longer sways when pushed. Read more
Remote village finds new identity as ‘manga island’
Murals of popular manga on vacant houses and public facilities have turned a remote island with a population of 11 in the Seto Inland Sea into a new tourist destination as a manga island. Read more
Studs add character to ceramic artwork
Maneki neko, or beckoning cats, come in various colors and poses, but no one had ever heard of a studded maneki neko before. Read more
Discrimination haunts atomic bomb survivors
Having survived the atomic bomb that flattened his hometown of Hiroshima when he was nine months old, Kunihiko Sakuma has never forgotten the stain it left on him in the eyes of some of his fellow Japanese. Read more
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More Focus on Japan
Kansai Airport has never lost a piece of luggage
Snake statue ready for 2025
AI breathes fresh life into traditions of New Year’s
