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July 24, 2026
 

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RAIL

A construction site for the Hokkaido Shinkansen as Mount Yotei looms in the background in Kutchan, Hokkaido, in February
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 22, 2026
Fraudulent quality tests discovered for Hokkaido Shinkansen extension work
Consortium workers manipulated a measuring instrument during tests to gauge the amount of water in the concrete used for a tunnel so the results fell within the standard value.
Seiji Shimomura, 68, guides new Akashi city employees around the accident site on Tuesday morning.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 21, 2026
Akashi crowd crush victims remembered 25 years on
Bereaved relatives, local residents and others offered prayers in front of a memorial on a pedestrian overpass where the crowd crush happened July 21, 2001.
Shizuoka Gov. Yasutomo Suzuki (right) and JR Central President Shunsuke Niwa pose for photos Saturday after signing an environmental preservation agreement, paving the way for the construction of a section of the magnetic levitation train line in the prefecture.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 19, 2026
Shizuoka and JR Central sign pact to start maglev construction
The completion of the Shizuoka section of the line is expected to take over 10 years.
An under-construction section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project in Ahmedabad, India.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 18, 2026
Ex-Japan minister faults India for Modi bullet train delay
¡°They just don¡¯t keep promises, no matter what. Even if they make a promise, they flip it right away,¡± said Hideki Makihara.
Ikebukuro Station¡¯s new facial recognition system allows registered passengers to pass through ticket gates hands-free.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 16, 2026
Facial recognition gates introduced at Ikebukuro Station
Passengers can pass through the ticket gates hands-free if they register their facial data and commuter pass information in advance.
In Denshattack!, your one-car train becomes a kickflipping, wall-riding vehicle up and down a postapocalyptic Japan.
LIFE / Digital
Jul 16, 2026
¡®Tony Hawk with Japanese trains¡¯: Denshattack! makes derailing a blast
Launching July 15, the new game mashes up Japanese trains with stylish tricks and fast-paced gameplay for a delightfully addictive time.
The 139-kilometer extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line is expected to take around 26 years to complete.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Jul 15, 2026
LDP and JIP decide on Kyoto route for Hokuriku Shinkansen line extension
The 139-kilometer extension, which will run through eastern Kyoto Prefecture and will have its own stop near Kyoto Station, is expected to take around 26 years to complete.
A design rendering of Soar, JR East¡¯s new shinkansen inspection train
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 15, 2026
JR East announces design of new inspection shinkansen train
The new train, nicknamed Soar, will inspect the tracks and other facilities while running at a maximum speed of 320 kilometers per hour.
Japan's closely watched maglev train project still faces major challenges, including soaring construction costs, despite clearing a key hurdle with a prefectural governor's long-awaited approval.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / FOCUS
Jul 8, 2026
Despite the green light, challenges lie ahead for Japan¡¯s maglev project
Central Japan Railway now expects the train line¡¯s opening to be in 2036, at the earliest, even if construction kicks off by the end of this year.
Environmental concerns relating to the construction of Central Japan Railway¡¯s high-speed maglev line had contributed to years of delays for the project.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 7, 2026
Long-stalled maglev line finally gets green light from Shizuoka Prefecture
Environmental concerns had led to years of delays, but now that understanding has ¡°steadily deepened,¡± it is now possible to move forward, Shizuoka¡¯s governor said.
Keisei Electric Railway hopes to improve convenience for passengers traveling between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture and enhance its transport capacities.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 7, 2026
Keisei to introduce new rail service linking Haneda and Narita airports
With the limited express service, Keisei hopes to improve convenience for passengers traveling between the two major international airports.
Kintetsu Railway workers examine a train that derailed at Kyoto Station on Monday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jun 29, 2026
Train derails at Kyoto Station, with no injuries reported
Kintetsu Railway is investigating the cause after two cars on a local train derailed Monday morning.
An artificial intelligence-equipped camera system shows a person trapped inside a railway crossing gate during a test by Kintetsu Railway.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / FOCUS
Jun 25, 2026
Japanese railway firms adopt AI safety systems at crossings
The technology can automatically detect and report abnormalities, such as stalled vehicles or people trapped on the tracks.
A maglev train exhibited in Tsuru, Yamanashi Prefecture, in 2020
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jun 24, 2026
Shizuoka governor to approve maglev line construction
Shizuoka Gov. Yasutomo Suzuki plans to announce the approval at a prefectural assembly meeting on July 7.
A West Japan Railway Company bullet train approaches Shin-Osaka station in Osaka last December.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jun 20, 2026
New cost estimates revealed for Hokuriku Shinkansen line extension
Construction costs for the eight routes being considered now range from ?1.7 trillion to ?7.9 trillion, the transport ministry said.
Emergency service workers gather at the scene of a collision involving two trains near Bedford, England, on Friday.
WORLD
Jun 20, 2026
One dead and dozens injured after two trains collide in U.K.
The crash occurred late afternoon near Bedford, a town around 90 kilometers north of the U.K. capital, and involved two London-bound trains on the same track.
A shinkansen commemorating the 25th anniversary of the opening of Tokyo DisneySea, operated by JR East, in Sendai
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jun 15, 2026
JR Central to run Disney shinkansen starting Friday
The Sparkling Dreams Shinkansen train will make up to two round trips a day mainly for Hikari and Kodama services between Tokyo Station and Shin-Osaka Station until mid-March 2027.
A train crosses Harbour Bridge in Sydney, Australia. Many people don't believe the bullet train vision, which has a history of false starts, will materialize.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 12, 2026
The $66 billion train seen fixing Australia¡¯s housing crisis
Australia¡¯s latest plan to introduce super-fast trains finally has political and financial backing on an unprecedented scale.
JR East said that the switch to the QR code tickets will eliminate ticket jams inside automated gates.
BUSINESS
Jun 9, 2026
JR East to shift from magnetic to QR code tickets in 2027
JR East said removing the nonrecyclable magnetic layer on the back of the conventional tickets will help reduce environmental impact.
Visitors walk through the Oimachi Tracks development, one of several major projects tied to East Japan Railway¡¯s efforts to transform southern Tokyo station districts into hubs for shopping, tourism and daily life.
BUSINESS / Companies / Greater Shinagawa Area
Jun 2, 2026
JR East¡¯s next stop? City building.
Faced with shrinking demand, the operator expands beyond transportation into land, commerce and large-scale redevelopment.
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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