Iwate town declares forest fire under control on 11th day
World 17:42 02/05/2026OTSUCHI, IWATE PREF., --The northeastern Japan town of Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, declared Saturday that the forest fire that broke out on April 22 has come under control.
Japan starts additional release of state oil reserves
World 17:41 02/05/2026TOKYO -- Japan started releasing on Friday additional state oil reserves equivalent to about 20 days of domestic consumption, amid crude oil procurement concerns brought on by the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Nissan drops EV production plan in US
World 17:04 01/05/2026NEW YORK -- Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co. will scrap its plans to produce electric vehicles at its vehicle assembly plant in Canton, Mississippi, company officials said Thursday.
Japan green tea exports jump in FY 2025 amid global matcha boom
World 17:03 01/05/2026TOKYO -- Japan's green tea exports are surging, driven by a strong matcha boom around the world.
Tokyo man on wanted list after hammer attack on students
World 17:30 30/04/2026TOKYO -- Tokyo police placed a 44-year-old man on the public wanted list Thursday, a day after he attacked two high school students with a hammer and sprayed liquid at police officers responding to the incident in Fussa in Tokyo.
Japan likely to pass bill to raise immigration fees
World 17:08 29/04/2026TOKYO -- Japan's House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill to raise the ceiling on fees for immigration procedures, making it likely to be enacted during the current parliamentary session ending in July.
15% of hospitals in Japan report sexual abuse
World 17:07 29/04/2026TOKYO -- Sexual abuse of patients has occurred at 15.5 pct of hospitals and other medical facilities in Japan, a government survey found.
Toyota-backed startup begins 'flying car' test flights in N.Y.
World 18:23 28/04/2026NEW YORK -- Joby Aviation Inc., a U.S. startup backed by Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp., said Monday that it has begun demonstration flights of its so-called flying cars in New York.
99 accused in Japan in international child pornography crackdown
World 15:56 28/04/2026TOKYO -- Japanese police have taken action against 99 people aged 14 to 72 years in the country as part of an international crackdown on online child pornography, the National Police Agency said Monday.
Strong quake hits Hokkaido in northern Japan
World 16:53 27/04/2026TOKYO -- A strong earthquake rocked the Tokachi region in the northernmost Japan prefecture of Hokkaido on Monday morning, measuring up to upper 5, the fourth-highest level on the Japanese seismic intensity scale.
Iwate wildfires spread further to 1,600 hectares
World 16:53 27/04/2026MORIOKA, IWATE PREF. -- Wildfires in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Iwate have spread further, scorching about 1,600 hectares by 6:00 am Monday.
Japan reviews dual pricing for tourist sites
World 16:37 27/04/2026TOKYO -- Experts commissioned by the Japan Tourism Agency met on Monday to launch a review of dual pricing for tourist sites, in which charges for nonresidents, including inbound tourists, are set higher than those for residents.
