Stories from Japan

A new collectible figure, 'Dancing Princess Yura' by Houkiboshi, is available for pre-order. The standard version is priced at ¥23,500, with a limited edition including a bonus.

Efforts are underway in Shizuoka Prefecture to regenerate seagrass beds, known as 'moba,' to combat ocean desertification.

Thieves broke into a luxury brand store in Fukui City, stealing items including Chrome Hearts valued at approximately 50 million yen.

Japan has increased the budget for its Government Security Support Capability Strengthening Framework from 8.1 billion yen in fiscal year 2025 to 18.1 billion yen for fiscal year 2026.

Japan aims to secure an annual supply of 5,000 tons of rare earth elements for the next decade. Japanese politician Takaichi proposed a plan to secure a 5,000-ton annual supply of rare earth elements over the next decade. Japanese politician Sanae Takaichi is proposing a plan to secure rare earth supply chains within the Indo-Pacific region. Japan has signed an agreement with Australian rare earth company Lynas Rare Earths to secure 5,000 tons of rare earth elements annually for over 10 years. Japan is attempting to reduce its reliance on rare earth imports from China due to ongoing diplomatic tensions. Japan and Vietnam have signed six cooperation documents aimed at enhancing economic ties. Consequently, Japan is increasing tariffs on rare earths to make them more stringent.

The incident involved touching a woman while she was in an intoxicated state.

Kazuto Yoka is scheduled to compete in a world championship gala in Tokyo tomorrow. The event features several fighters, including Takuma Inoue, the brother of Naoya Inoue. The broadcast notes there have been 57 world championships held at this gala.

Seven combat matches featuring 14 Japanese fighters are scheduled to take place at the Tokyo Dome over three days. The event is expected to draw 57,000 spectators. The broadcast noted that the event includes 57 world titles.

A NASA satellite has captured the first high-resolution imagery of a Pacific tsunami from space. The data provides new insights into wave travel mechanics and patterns.

Japanese government officials in Tokyo have begun wearing shorts instead of traditional business suits to reduce energy consumption. The initiative was launched by the Tokyo metropolitan government to lower air conditioning usage in offices. The city manages a workforce of tens of thousands of employees serving over 14 million residents. The move aims to address energy dependency on gas imported from the Persian Gulf. The Tokyo metropolitan government has launched an initiative to encourage civil servants to adopt more casual attire to save energy. Officials in the metropolis, which serves over 14 million residents, are transitioning from formal suits to shorts.