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July 24, 2026
 

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NPA

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will chair a national intelligence council slated to be launched as early as this month.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 14, 2026
Prime Minister¡¯s Office to lead intelligence efforts in Japan
A new council will be responsible for examining and deliberating on ¡°important intelligence activities,¡± including those linked to national security and terrorism.
Under a pact signed with Mercari, LY and Rakuten, the National Police Agency will receive and analyze information on credit cards used fraudulently and on accounts of malicious merchants.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 9, 2026
Japan police ink pact with e-commerce firms to share information
Under the pact signed with Mercari, LY, and Rakuten, the police will receive and analyze information on credit cards used fraudulently and on accounts of malicious merchants.
Posts facilitating romance scams, other fraud and what are known as?"dark part-time jobs" will be subject to deletion requests by the Internet Hotline Center.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Jul 2, 2026
Police in Japan work to crack down on fraud-linked social media posts
Based on reports from the public, the Internet Hotline Center requests that illegal or harmful online content be removed, and it reports such cases to the police.
The National Police Agency said the eyes of the local community are essential in finding people with dementia who have gone missing.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Jun 25, 2026
Reports of missing dementia sufferers in Japan fell in 2025 but remain high
Among those who were found, 139 were using location-tracking devices such as GPS or loss prevention tags for safety purposes.
The driving skills test for older drivers was introduced in 2022 with the aim of preventing accidents by assessing the decline in their physical functions.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jun 25, 2026
Japan to review elderly driving test after higher accident rate
The rate of accidents caused by drivers who took the test was 2.8 times the level recorded for those who were not subject to it, according to a study released Thursday.
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.
The number of mountaineering accidents in Japan reached a total of 3,122 in 2025, up by 176 year on year and the second-highest level on record, according to National Police Agency data.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Jun 18, 2026
Japan saw record 3,623 people encounter mountaineering accidents in 2025
Overall, accidents mainly occurred due to people getting lost, or falling or slipping on slopes, though bear attacks accounted for 27 cases ¡ª tripling from the previous year.
The National Police Agency said it has dispatched a liaison officer to Bangkok in order to strengthen cooperation with police authorities in Southeast Asia and crack down on fraud cases.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Jun 18, 2026
Police force deploys liaison officer to Bangkok to coordinate on fraud cases
The dispatch is part of a broader push to crack down on fraud groups operating scam hubs in Southeast Asia.
Self-storage units and rental containers can be used by lone wolf attackers as a place to store gunpowder or as a workshop to make dangerous goods.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Jun 11, 2026
Police in Japan seek to cooperate with businesses over lone-wolf attacks
The aim is to collect information that point to signs of individuals making firearms or explosives alone, including unusual smells and noises, to help prevent terrorist attacks.
National Police Agency Commissioner-General Yoshinobu Kusunoki speaks at a news conference in Tokyo on Thursday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Jun 4, 2026
Japan confirms more cases of Saga police DNA misconduct
A report from the National Police Agency said the agency can¡¯t rule out the possibility that investigations were negatively affected in 37 cases.
In 2025, people in their 20s and younger accounted for more than 70% of all cannabis-related police action.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Jun 3, 2026
Cannabis use grows among young people in Japan, especially in Tokyo
Tokyo recorded the highest number of cannabis-related cases among all prefectures in 2025, with 1,139 people processed by the MPD.
A new agreement between the National Police Agency and nine major banks will allow prefectural police to inquire about specific bank accounts thought to be involved in fraud schemes and quickly freeze them.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
May 28, 2026
NPA inks agreement with major Japan banks to hasten special fraud response
The shift from physical mail to digital requests will allow authorities to freeze accounts receiving fraud proceeds more quickly.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi receives a policy recommendation document from Takayuki Kobayashi (center left), head of the Liberal Democratic Party&#039;s Headquarters for Intelligence Strategy, in March at the Prime Minister&#039;s Office.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics / FOCUS
May 14, 2026
Government ramps up push to enhance intelligence capabilities
As a first step, the government plans to establish a national intelligence bureau as early as July.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has set up a special task force to intensify its crackdown on the Kohei-ikka, a Sumiyoshi-kai-affiliated designated crime group suspected of deepening its involvement with <i>tokury¨±</i> networks, including special fraud linked to illegal job schemes.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Apr 23, 2026
Yakuza membership fell to record low in 2025
Authorities attribute the decline to an aging population within the criminal groups, tighter enforcement and a nationwide rollout of anti-gang ordinances.
Hairstyle examples shown follow the relaxation of hair regulations at police academies.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Apr 21, 2026
Japan¡¯s police force eases academy rules in bid to attract fresh faces
The move comes amid declining recruitment numbers fueled by the image of police academies being too strict.
A handbook for crime victims prepared by the National Police Agency is intended to reduce the burden placed on them by having to repeatedly explain about their experiences in later dealings with authorities and support organizations.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Apr 9, 2026
Police launch handbook so victims don¡¯t have to repeatedly recount crimes
The introduction of the handbook was included in the fifth basic plan for supporting crime victims and their families, which was adopted at a Cabinet meeting last month.
U.S. service members conduct early morning security rounds at the Cryptologic Operations Center in Misawa, Japan. Japan needs its own central agency to integrate signal and human intelligence, as well as open-source and cyber data, to produce actionable analysis.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 8, 2026
Japan¡¯s intelligence overhaul is overdue, not ominous
Japan¡¯s planned reforms would upgrade the existing Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office (CIRO) into a national intelligence bureau.
Members of Japanese organized gangs made up around 15% of those arrested for selling cannabis and 22% of those cultivating it.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Apr 3, 2026
Arrests over marijuana use hit record high in Japan
The figure of 6,832 has more than doubled from 2017, when it was 3,008.
The National Police Agency has issued guidelines calling for resource sharing and more flexibility to address rising specialized and international crimes and police staffing challenges.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Apr 2, 2026
Japan¡¯s police agency to promote reform to tackle more specialized, global crime
The guidelines call for equipment and personnel to be shared across police departments and for a review of the division of roles between headquarters and stations.
Police in Japan handled 1,546 stalking cases in 2025, up 205 from the previous year and the highest since the anti-stalking law was enacted in 2000.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Mar 19, 2026
Stalking cases hit record high in Japan in 2025
Police handled 1,546 cases of stalking last year, up by 205 from the preceding year.
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

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