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July 12, 2026
 

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TOURISM

A Japanese police officer stands guard at the entrance of the Chinese embassy in Tokyo
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 31, 2026
Chinese advised not to visit Japan after robbery
The embassy issued the advisory on social media and said that it has asked Japanese police to resolve the robbery case as soon as possible.
Shohei Ohtani and his pet dog made an appearance at last year's Sapporo Snow Festival — not in person but as some of the snow sculptures that make the event an international draw.
LIFE
Jan 31, 2026
How to enjoy the Sapporo Snow Festival like a local
Snow, cold and crowds make Sapporo’s marquee winter event, running this year from Feb. 4 to 11, a must-see for travelers everywhere.
A Vietnamese worker picks tomatoes at a farm in Asahi, Chiba Prefecture, in 2018. Vietnamese comprised the largest percentage of foreign workers in Japan in 2025.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2026
Foreign workers in Japan reach a record 2.57 million in 2025
The total was up 11.7% from a year earlier and comes amid an acute labor shortage in the rapidly aging country.
While standard rooms at the Royal Park Hotel Iconic Naha may run you around ¥25,000 to ¥35,000 per night, more luxury suites like this one are available for travelers with yen to burn.
LIFE / Travel
Jan 30, 2026
Naha’s newest hotel is made from Okinawan culture — literally
Open from Jan. 30, the Royal Park Hotel Iconic Naha incorporates numerous elements of the island’s heritage, including remnants of the incinerated Shuri Castle.
The number of foreign passengers on international flights at Narita International Airport rose 3% from a year earlier to 2,108,313 in December, marking a record high for the month, the airport operator said Thursday.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2026
Narita Airport sees record number of foreign passengers in December
The number of flights between the airport and China fell 18% to 2,122, however, following the Chinese government’s request for its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan.
The Finance Ministry on Thursday upgraded its economic assessment for tourism in Okinawa, with one hotel industry official there saying there was no significant impact from group cancellations following Chinese government notices advising against visits to Japan.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 29, 2026
Finance Ministry raises economic view on Hokuriku and Okinawa
The ministry said in a quarterly report that Japan’s economy is “recovering at a moderate pace,” adopting the same assessment for the 10th straight quarter.
Travelers at Narita Airport. A new policy package from Japan's government put a spotlight on foreign patients not paying medical fees as a major topic to address, but it may not only be a matter of them dodging the bill.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Jan 29, 2026
Are foreign nationals actually dodging their medical bills in Japan?
When it comes to foreign patients not paying their medical fees, the answer might not be that straightforward.
A private lodging operator in Tokyo has been referred to prosecutors for allegedly violating the law on private lodging business.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 27, 2026
Tokyo private lodging firm referred to prosecutors for illegal operations
The company and individuals allegedly breached the law on private lodging.
Tourists take a selfie at Banpo Bridge in Seoul in August last year.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 27, 2026
Chinese tourists picking South Korea over Japan for Lunar New Year amid visa ease
South Korea is on track to overtake Japan as the top destination for Chinese travelers during the upcoming holiday for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Chinese tourist group is led by a tour guide in Tokyo's Asakusa sightseeing spot in November.
JAPAN
Jan 27, 2026
China warns citizens against Japan visits during Lunar New Year
The Chinese foreign ministry said nationals “face serious ‍security threats ⁠in Japan,” according to a statement it released.
Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s chief executive, in Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture. The ride-hailing giant’s chief executive has made a bet on how it can finally grab a bigger piece of one of the world’s largest taxi markets.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2026
Uber’s quest to crack Japan leads through a rural hot-springs town
Since Uber entered Japan in 2014, the country, one of the world’s largest taxi markets, has remained a fortress, but the company is now making inroads in rural areas.
Japan saw more tourists last year than ever — and a new report suggests its popularity among travelers is only going to grow.
LIFE / Travel
Jan 24, 2026
Data-driven travel rankings crown Japan as world’s top destination
According to travel planning outlet World Travel Index, the weak yen is a major factor in Japan’s enduring popularity with global tourists.
Tourists from abroad take souvenir photos in Sapporo's Susukino district, a popular sightseeing and entertainment spot, on Sunday.
JAPAN
Jan 21, 2026
Japan has a tough road ahead to achieve 60 million visitor goal
Japan still needs to overcome mounting challenges to achieving its goal of 60 million annual visitors by 2030, although the number of inbound tourists topped 40 million for the first time ever last year with their consumption growing to around ¥9.5 trillion.
Sales for 2025 at convenience stores in Japan grew in June in particular, driven by strong demand for ice cream and beverages during scorching summer heat.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 21, 2026
Convenience store sales hit record high in 2025
Sales grew in June in particular, driven by strong demand for ice cream and beverages during scorching summer heat.
What appears to a heavily damaged body of a helicopter is seen inside the crater of Mount Aso in Aso, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 21, 2026
Sightseeing helicopter carrying three people goes missing in Kumamoto
Fire authorities received an emergency report apparently from a passenger’s smartphone at 11:04 a.m. The helicopter’s GPS signal was last detected near the crater of Mount Aso.
Supporters of Sanseito, which ran with a party platform of “Japanese First” in the Upper House election, during the party’s rally in Tokyo in July 2025
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 20, 2026
Will foreign-national policies return to the spotlight in the snap election?
So far, ruling and opposition parties scrambling to prepare for the sudden snap election in February have put foreign-national issues on the backburner.
Foreign visitors from the combined countries of Europe, the U.S. and Australia were up 22% year on year.
JAPAN
Jan 20, 2026
Foreign visitors to Japan topped 40 million in 2025
Tourists, including droves from Asia and the U.S., continued to visit, as tensions with China failed to put a damper on the numbers.
The preserved merchant houses and storerooms of Obama's old merchant quarter hint at the economic (and culinary) role the town once played in supporting Kyoto to the south.
LIFE / Travel
Jan 17, 2026
At the origin of the ‘Mackerel Road,’ this seaside town fed Kyoto
Obama is a quaint coastal community today, but a visit grants a look at how it played a crucial role in stocking the pantries of Japan’s ancient capital.
Price increases for Tokyo taxis come amid a shortage of taxi drivers around the nation, which has been caused by the aging and retirement of drivers and a lack of people newly entering the industry.
BUSINESS
Jan 15, 2026
Price hike eyed for Tokyo taxis
The transportation ministry plans to shorten the distance that passengers can ride taxis with the ¥500 base fare.
People visit a bookstore in Beijing on Dec. 18.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 12, 2026
Novel concept: China’s spellbinding bookstores draw selfie snappers
While physical book sales have failed to bounce back in postpandemic China, some bookstores have become tourist hot spots for their photo opportunities.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
By Alex K.T. Martin

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