Stories from Japan

NATO representatives conducted a visit to a United States naval facility located in the vicinity of Tokyo.

Ishinomaki City is enhancing its 'Smile Start Package' support program starting April 2026 to promote migration and settlement. Ishinomaki is expanding its Smile Start Package in April 2026 to include a new support project for newlyweds under age 39.

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake occurred 106 km east-northeast of Kuji, Japan, at a depth of 35.555 km. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 35.555 km, located 106 km ENE of Kuji.

Rakuten Wallet has introduced new capabilities for users in Japan to convert loyalty points into XRP. The update also enables spot trading and allows QR code payments at over 5 million merchants.

Japanese system integrator Kobo has launched new personal computers featuring the GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition graphics card.

The Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum will begin operating a free shuttle bus service starting May 2 to manage congestion during peak periods.

Shiga Bank has announced the 'Shiga Try Link Loan,' Japan's first domestic ESG finance initiative.

A five-vehicle collision occurred near the Shirao Interchange on the Noto Satoyama Kaido.

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) expressed intent to include the Self-Defense Forces in Japan's peace constitution by next year. During a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) convention, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared that the time is ripe for Japan to revise its constitution and set a goal to achieve certain progress on revision proposals by the spring of 2027. The party's new vision, released for its 70th anniversary, said the priority and urgency of revision. Scholars note that Article 9 of Japan's post-war constitution is being eroded, and the self-defense policy is being substantially dismantled. Public gatherings opposing the government's revisionist and militarization moves are occurring in multiple locations across Japan.

Izumisano in Osaka Prefecture plans to establish a 'baby hatch' by March 2027. The facility will allow parents unable to care for infants to leave them safely.