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July 24, 2026
 

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BOOKS

Haruki Murakami's first book in three years hit shelves in Japan on Friday.
CULTURE / Books
Jul 3, 2026
Murakami says his novels are ¡®different¡¯ from AI literature
When he is deeply focused on writing a story, characters suddenly show up, and ¡°that¡¯s not something that comes out from analogy,¡± he said, adding ¡°AI probably can¡¯t do that.¡±
Only 102 new bookstores were opened in Japan during fiscal year 2025, which began in April last year, while 499 shops closed.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Jun 16, 2026
Number of bookstores in Japan drops below 10,000 for the first time
Japan had 9,993 bookstores as of the end of March 2026 ¡ª just over 40% of its peak in fiscal year 1998.
Tokyo native Noemi Minami founded Koen Book Club in 2021 with two friends. The club continues to meet monthly in public parks across Tokyo, weather permitting.
COMMUNITY / Issues / The Foreign Element
May 18, 2026
Anglophone bookworms unite across Japan
Book clubs, book swaps and other reading events are providing a space for wholesome offline socializing in Tokyo and beyond.
Koji Suzuki
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
May 10, 2026
Koji Suzuki, author of horror novel ¡®Ring,¡¯ dies at 68
¡°Ring,¡± released in 1991, was adapted into movies in and outside Japan, becoming major hits.
Though mothers in Japan aren't expected to bear the entirety of the family's child-rearing burden as in decades past, author Lisa Katayama says the strain still falls largely on their shoulders.
CULTURE / Books
May 9, 2026
In Japan, ¡®moms pull weight in ways that are superhuman¡¯
In a new book, a mom raised in Tokyo but living abroad reflects on how Japan¡¯s conception of motherhood helps her raise her young daughters.
Traditional Japanese needlework has exploded in popularity, but a book from a third-generation artisan aims to bring more context to the craft's newfound popularity.
LIFE / Style & Design
May 2, 2026
¡®Sashiko¡¯ needlework artisan says craft is about ¡®the stories behind the stitching¡¯
In a new book, a third-generation craftsman explores how the origins of his art are at risk of being lost in an upswell of popularity.
A letter from Ryotaro Shiba sent to Takeshi Kaiko's wife, Yoko Maki
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Apr 27, 2026
Letter by novelist Shiba praising fellow writer Kaiko found
Ryotaro Shiba sent the handwritten letter on two sheets of paper in December 1989, soon after Takeshi Kaiko¡¯s death, to the late writer¡¯s wife, poet Yoko Maki.
Haruki Murakami returns this summer with his new novel, "The Tale of Kaho," which is centered on a 26-year-old picture book author.
CULTURE / Books
Apr 24, 2026
Haruki Murakami to release first novel in three years with ¡®The Tale of Kaho¡¯
The beloved author¡¯s new work, set to be released July 3, marks his first female-led novel ¡ª and a return to the uncanny.
A shift is occurring in the translation industry both in Japan and across the globe, where using artificial intelligence in place of humans is increasingly becoming standard practice.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society / FOCUS
Apr 16, 2026
As AI advances, translators forced to adapt to industry changes
Translators are having to grapple with lower pay and higher expectations, all while the future of the industry itself is in doubt.
The last two students at Yumoto Junior High School attend their graduation ceremony in Ten-ei Village, Fukushima Prefecture, in March 2023.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 19, 2026
We have to stop discussing Japan¡¯s birthrate like this
Declining Asian fertility is often framed negatively: a backlash against a crushing society. When it happens in the U.S., though, it¡¯s young women taking control over their lives.
Literary translation is one of humanity¡¯s most crucial tasks ¡ª one that should never be left to the machines.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 18, 2026
Lost in AI translation: What¡¯s at stake? Our humanity.
Literary translation is one of humanity¡¯s most crucial tasks ¡ª one that should never be left to the machines.
Do Van Tuan shows some of the Vietnamese books he took with him to the Sendai Detention House in Sendai in December.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Mar 9, 2026
The Vietnamese interpreter who sends his imprisoned countrymen books
Do Van Tuan, 45, hopes that through books, detainees might be able to make good use of their time while under detention to build a better future.
A page from Kenzaburo Oe's unpublished novel ¡°Trip From a Dark Room¡±
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Mar 3, 2026
Two unpublished works by Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe found
The two short stories will appear in the April issue of Kodansha¡¯s literary magazine Gunzo.
Tokyo¡¯s Jimbocho neighborhood has all kinds of bookshops and cafes, but it is mainly known for its abundance of stores selling secondhand books.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Mar 2, 2026
Inside a Japanese bookshop: Words you need to browse in Jimbocho
Decode shelving systems, publisher groupings and reader slang before making the most of Tokyo¡¯s famed literary district.
Famed Meiji-era novelist Natsume Soseki¡¯s belief that true expression transcends literal wording supports the argument that AI handling translation frees people to create rather than convert language.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 25, 2026
Sorry Soseki, I wish we had AI translation aeons ago
It should come as little surprise then that one of the jobs at risk of complete replacement by AI is that of translators.
From left: Naoki Prize winner Teru Shimazu and Akutagawa Prize winners Ushio Hatakeyama and Makoto Toriyama pose for a photo at a press conference in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on Jan. 14.
CULTURE / Books
Jan 14, 2026
Time and history win big at most prestigious Japanese book awards
The Akutagawa Prize and the Naoki Prize in January 2026 were awarded to Makoto Toriyama, Ushio Hatakeyama and Teru Shimazu.
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.
Naomi Okuyama (left), who rents a shelf at Honmaru Jinbocho bookstore in Tokyo, poses with store manager Haru Shimokawa in September.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Nov 27, 2025
As bookstore numbers decline in Japan, many are leasing out shelves
The shelves are leased out to book lovers to allow them to sell the works they want to recommend, fostering communities of such ¡°shelf owners.¡±
Yurika Lacy in Aisai, Aichi Prefecture, with her grandfather's book and the English version she translated
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society / Regional voices: Chubu
Nov 24, 2025
Aichi Prefecture resident tells grandfather¡¯s WWII story in English
Translating notes about being a student soldier took seven years to complete, in time for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
¡°Totto¡± in ¡°Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window: The Sequel¡± was the nickname young Tetsuko Kuroyanagi gave herself as a child, mispronouncing her first name.
CULTURE / Books
Nov 23, 2025
TV icon Tetsuko Kuroyanagi¡¯s memoir paints a life of both war and glamour
¡°Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window, The Sequel,¡± TV personality Tetsuko Kuroyanagi¡¯s second memoir, comes out more than 40 years after the first.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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