PHOTO: Memories of War
People offered flowers at the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima on Tuesday, the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city. 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.
Sake maker keeps focus on sustainability
The gentle lilt of a flute fills a tight second-story space in Tokyo that houses a burbling vat of fermenting sake. Read more
Book bag binds Japanese society
In Japan, cultural expectations are drilled into children at school and at home, with peer pressure playing as powerful a role as any authority or law. On the surface, at least, that can help Japanese society run smoothly. Read more
Hikers celebrate Japan’s long-distance coastal trail
A group of 332 hikers from Tokyo, Osaka and other points gathered at Jodogahama Beach in Miyako in June for a walking event to commemorate the fifth year since the opening of the Michinoku Coastal Trail. Read more
Agriculture to be included in emissions reduction projects
This summer, the government is planning to launch the first agricultural-sector emission trading project under its bilateral trading mechanism. Read more
Banned from marrying, LGBTQ couples opt for ‘photo weddings’
Unable to get married legally in Japan, LGBTQ couples are celebrating their special bond by donning traditional kimono and fashionable formal wear for elaborate “photo weddings.” Read more
Supermarkets win customers with whimsical performances
Supermarkets integral to the daily lives of local residents are serving up a storm, with some attracting customers across the country and even from abroad. Read more
Japan government breaks away from using floppy disks
Japan’s government has finally eliminated the use of floppy disks in all its systems, two decades since their heyday, reaching a long-awaited milestone in a campaign to modernize the bureaucracy. Read more
PHOTO: Wet yoga
About 1,700 committed yoga practitioners braved the rain on the summer solstice, June 21, at Tsukiji Hongwanji temple in Chuo ward in Tokyo. Read more
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Zoos set up gamete banks for endangered species
The introduction of an animal gamete bank system to preserve the frozen sperm and eggs of rare animals is progressing at zoos and similar facilities with the aim of continuing to breed endangered species in the future. Read more
U.S. startup launches Japanese strawberry factory
Oishii Farm, a U.S. startup run by a Japanese entrepreneur, announced in early June that it began operating the world’s largest indoor vertical strawberry farm in Phillipsburg, N.J. Read more
Artisan adds twist to traditional metal weaving
As he twists together two copper wires, then two more and two more, a woven pattern of shiny metal hexagons takes shape. Read more
Japan likes tourists, just not this many
On two recent occasions, a foreign tourist walked into Shoji Matsumoto’s barbershop, through a front door that grates loudly when opened more than halfway, wanting a haircut. Read more
Haneda brewery goes local with its flavors
A restaurant near Haneda Airport is brewing up a buzz for its craft beers flavored with local specialties from across Japan. Read more
‘Crying sumo contest’ said to ensure good health for babies
“Crying Sumo,” a traditional event to pray for babies to grow up healthy, was held at Tanabu Shrine in Mutsu, Aomori prefecture, on May 5, celebrated as Children’s Day. Read more
Special Pokemon art show draws enthusiastic fans
Many fans have been flocking to see a special exhibition featuring Pokemon at the Sagawa Art Museum in Moriyama, Shiga prefecture. Read more
Post earthquake, Wajima lacquerware find new homes
A project to find new owners for recovered Wajima lacquerware is underway in areas affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake on Jan. 1. Read more
Bottlenose dolphins are doing their part in ocean cleanup
Three bottlenose dolphins kept in an oceanfront facility in Sanuki, Kagawa prefecture, have gone viral for picking up trash drifting in the ocean. Read more
PHOTO: Flying a giant
Flying a giant: Participants flew Japan’s largest kite, measuring approximately 48 square feet and weighing about 2,094 pounds, during the Oodako Matsuri on May 4. Read more
New tsunami detection system to undergo tests
A new drone-based tsunami detection system is launching this year in Namie, Fukushima prefecture, to streamline the evacuation of residents in the event of a massive tsunami. Read more
U.S.-made sake hit shelves in Japan
In April, Japanese sake manufacturer Asahi Shuzo Co., known for its flagship Dassai sake, released Dassai Blue in Japan. The release is notable because the special Junmai Daiginjo sake is produced at a brewery in the United States. Read more
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