51³Ô¹ÏÍø

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July 24, 2026
 

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LIVING IN 51³Ô¹ÏÍø

Osaka¡¯s infrastructure earned higher marks than Tokyo¡¯s in the Economist Intelligence Unit¡¯s latest Global Liveability Index.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Jul 7, 2026
Osaka trumps Tokyo as both ranked among world¡¯s top 10 most livable cities
Osaka ranked seventh, while Tokyo, which improved its culture and environment score, moved up three places to reach 10th.
The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan has issued a warning over a rise in air conditioner repair scams.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Jun 23, 2026
Consumer affairs watchdog raises alarm over air conditioner repair scams
The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan is urging people to be on alert for offers to repair broken air conditioners that sound too good to be true.
In Tokyo and other major Japanese cities, <i>aruki-sumaho</i> ¡ª walking while using a smartphone ¡ª has become a persistent safety concern as commuters navigate crowded stations and sidewalks while focused on their devices.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society / First person
Jun 21, 2026
Distracted walkers in Japan are a real safety risk. My mother knows firsthand.
Despite years of awareness campaigns, aruki-sumaho ¡ª walking while using a smartphone ¡ª remains widespread and difficult to stop.
An experiment shows how stripping the insulation from an air conditioner cord and connecting the cord with another cable can lead to fire.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jun 4, 2026
Consumers warned of fire risks in areas around air conditioners ahead of summer
Safety experts have received many reports of air conditioner fires that were unrelated to product defects, and are flagging the risk before use increases through summer.
A father carries a child on a <i>mamachari</i> bicycle in September 2018. Parents say the new ¡°blue ticket¡± system has made them more mindful of the rules, but has also heightened concerns about child-seat use and children starting to cycle on their own.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society / FOCUS
May 22, 2026
How Japan¡¯s new ¡®blue tickets¡¯ are putting cycling parents on edge
Parents say the new system has made them more mindful of the rules, but has also heightened concerns about child-seat use and children starting to cycle on their own.
Japan implemented a new system in April that penalizes minor bicycle traffic rule violators with a "blue ticket" that carries a fine of up to ?12,000.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
May 14, 2026
Cyclists issued ¡®blue tickets¡¯ in over 2,000 cases since April 1 rollout
The new tickets incur fines of up to ?12,000 for traffic rule violations, with the aim of improving cycling safety and preventing accidents.
Foreign tourists take selfies with a statue of Buddha in the Asakusa area of Tokyo on April 15.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
May 11, 2026
Moving to Japan a dream for many Americans, survey says
Japan is ranked sixth in preliminary searches by those looking to relocate, but practical factors, including language, bumped it down 10 places in a new report.
Under the new blue ticket system, cyclists will have one week in which to pay fines for minor traffic violations.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 24, 2026
The language around Japan¡¯s new bike rules leaves no room for ¡®maybe¡¯
Blue tickets are now being issued for minor traffic offenses, but you have to watch you don¡¯t get scammed.
A battery from a third-party company for an electric-assist bicycle catches fire during an experiment.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Apr 22, 2026
Caution urged in Japan when using secondhand products amid safety risks
Accidents involving secondhand products have risen alongside more people using flea market apps to save money as consumer inflation continues.
Sendai Station is crowded with people Monday after the Tohoku shinkansen line suspended operation following a powerful earthquake off the Sanriku coast.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Explainer
Apr 21, 2026
How to prepare when Japan is under an earthquake advisory
Authorities in Japan are urging residents from Hokkaido to Chiba Prefecture to be ready in case a major earthquake strikes, following Monday¡¯s magnitude 7.7 jolt.
Navigating cancer treatment as a foreign resident of Japan can be an added layer of stress, but nonprofit organizations and community resources are available to support those with a diagnosis.
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Apr 20, 2026
Counseling and community for foreign cancer patients in Japan
Navigating cancer treatment as a foreign resident can be daunting, but mental health clinics, nonprofit organizations and other platforms can support the journey.
Starting Wednesday, Japan will require certain foreign nationals applying for its most common white-collar work visa to prove language proficiency.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Apr 15, 2026
Japan implements language proficiency requirements for certain visa applicants
The requirement applies to jobs in which language skills are central, such as translation, interpretation and customer-facing roles.
Representatives of the Tokyo Federation of Private University Faculty and Staff Unions speak to reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Apr 7, 2026
Costs to attend private universities in Tokyo hit record high
Parents of first-year students at higher education institutes in the Tokyo metropolitan area who responded to the survey described tough financial trade-offs and growing anxiety.
Islamic Yokocho in Shin-Okubo is home to a plethora of grocery stores specializing in halal food and fresh produce, among other goods and services.
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Apr 6, 2026
Please your palate with Tokyo¡¯s international grocery stores
The capital has a surfeit of specialty supermarkets with ingredients from all over the world ¡ª if you know where to look.
Some utilities, for instance, tout that the utility costs will be cheaper under their plan without accounting for a variable fuel adjustment charge.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Mar 30, 2026
Utility contract complaints persist nearly a decade after deregulation
Consumer officials are urging caution as complaints over electricity and gas contracts remain almost 10 years since Japan opened its utility markets.
Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Friday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics
Mar 27, 2026
Japan to tighten requirements for naturalization starting April 1
The criteria for foreign nationals seeking citizenship will be brought to the level required for permanent residency.
Starting April 1, cyclists in Japan will be subject to new traffic rules.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal / EXPLAINER
Mar 25, 2026
What to know about Japan¡¯s new traffic rules for cyclists
Starting April 1, the ¡°blue ticket¡± system aims to reduce violations by issuing fines for minor offenses such as using a phone while cycling or ignoring stoplights.
Experts say entrenched gender bias, particularly the stereotype that women are polite and gentle, and suited to service work, explains why female voices are more often used in automated voice guidance systems.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society / FOCUS
Mar 19, 2026
Why do female voices dominate automated guidance in Japan?
One common explanation points to the stereotype that women are naturally suited to supportive or caregiving roles.
Sanseito, a party led by Sohei Kamiya (second from right), opposes the long-term settlement of foreign nationals but supports the use of short-term foreign labor.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics / FOCUS
Feb 5, 2026
Conservative parties push for capping of foreign resident population
The Japan Innovation Party, Sanseito and the Conservative Party of Japan are taking a hard-line stance while other parties are proposing alternative measures.
Subscription services have taken hold in Japanese people's daily lives, with such services provided by content creators also becoming popular.
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Feb 4, 2026
Subscription services evolving in Japan
With consumers adopting a more conservative view of spending amid inflation, subscription services are viewed as ¡°rational and smart consumption.¡±
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&#039;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&#039;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&#039;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&#039; 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

SUSTAINABLE 51³Ô¹ÏÍø

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