https://www.scmp.com/rss/10275/feed Julian Ryall never expected to still be in Japan 24 years after he first arrived, but he quickly realised its advantages over his native London. He lives in Yokohama with his wife and children and writes for publications around the world. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The day that Taiki Hirokawa stabbed his former girlfriend to death in a Pokemon store in Tokyo had started like any other, his mother told police. She and her son had breakfast together and nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Hours later, security camera footage caught 26-year-old Hirokawa walking straight into the store, pulling out a knife, going behind the counter where Moe Harukawa, 21, was serving customers, and repeatedly slashing her in the neck and chest before turning the knife on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348976/japans-knife-crime-wave-lays-bare-tragic-cost-youth-mental-burnout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348976/japans-knife-crime-wave-lays-bare-tragic-cost-youth-mental-burnout?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall After playing in a forested area in the Solomon Islands, Billy’s children often break out in rashes or itchy boils at home. A few years ago, the family became dizzy, suffered headaches and vomited – they believed it was due to the clams from nearby mangrove beds that they had eaten. “It was lucky that we stopped the children from eating them,” said Billy, whose family lives a hand-to-mouth existence in the village of Yandina in the Russell Islands. The 50-year-old farmer suspected that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3348779/solomon-islands-residents-live-fear-wwii-bomb-explosions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3348779/solomon-islands-residents-live-fear-wwii-bomb-explosions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan could get a boost in its push for a next-generation fighter jet if Canada joins a multinational consortium backing the aircraft’s development, as Tokyo aims to narrow the gap with China’s fast-modernising air force. The Canadian government said it intended to take part in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), currently involving Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy, the Asahi newspaper reported on Tuesday. Japan is planning to replace its ageing F-2 fleet with a sixth-generation stealth... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348709/why-japans-advanced-fighter-project-may-get-canadian-tailwinds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348709/why-japans-advanced-fighter-project-may-get-canadian-tailwinds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:20 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan has moved swiftly to contain the diplomatic fallout after a member of its Self-Defence Forces broke into the Chinese embassy in Tokyo last week. But observers and local media say the incident has given Beijing an opening to reinforce claims of rising militarism and anti-China sentiment in Japan. Yoshinobu Kusunoki, commissioner general of the National Police Agency, on Monday called the break-in on March 24 “extremely unusual and serious”, adding that it “should not have happened”. His... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348549/japan-races-limit-fallout-chinese-embassy-break?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348549/japan-races-limit-fallout-chinese-embassy-break?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Tokyo’s Shibuya ward – home to the famous scramble crossing and one of the Japanese capital’s busiest shopping and nightlife districts – is abandoning its long-standing policy of asking people to take their rubbish home. Instead, it is turning to on-the-spot fines as visitor numbers surge and litter piles up. Under a new campaign branded “If you throw trash, you lose cash”, anyone caught dropping rubbish will be fined 2,000 yen (US$12.50), with enforcement starting on June 1 after a grace... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348562/japans-shibuya-fine-litterbugs-spot-june-visitor-numbers-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348562/japans-shibuya-fine-litterbugs-spot-june-visitor-numbers-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:00:16 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Recent reports of Japan exploring the feasibility of using the remote Pacific island of Minamitorishima as a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste have raised concern at home and abroad. An official request to carry out a survey assessing the island’s suitability for the facility was presented to the mayor of Ogasawara village, which nominally administers the island some 1,900km (1,200 miles) southeast of Tokyo, earlier this month. Similar requests have been made of two towns in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3348336/where-can-japan-store-its-nuclear-waste-island-plan-raises-alarm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3348336/where-can-japan-store-its-nuclear-waste-island-plan-raises-alarm?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:30:18 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A proposal to scrap a ban on tall buildings in Kyoto to make way for towers and tourism infrastructure has drawn criticism that the move would fundamentally damage the skyline of Japan’s historic capital. A panel advising the city government suggested revising the existing height restriction – which limits buildings near Kyoto Station to a maximum of 31 metres – to 60 metres. The panel claimed on Wednesday the change would “revitalise” the area around the station that served as the gateway to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348197/kyoto-eyeing-taller-buildings-critics-warn-it-will-look-every-other-city-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348197/kyoto-eyeing-taller-buildings-critics-warn-it-will-look-every-other-city-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s cherry trees are in full bloom, heralding the arrival of spring and the beginning of hanami picnics filled with food, festivities and fun. But stubborn inflation, the economic fallout from the war in Iran and looming unsettled weather have muted excitement for this year’s gatherings – a time-honoured tradition that is also popular with tourists. A survey by Intage found that 38 per cent of Japanese were planning to attend a cherry blossom viewing event with family, friends or colleagues,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347965/japans-cherry-blossom-parties-could-wilt-inflation-strains-wallets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347965/japans-cherry-blossom-parties-could-wilt-inflation-strains-wallets?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:55 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is reportedly planning to deploy advanced anti-ship missiles on Minamitorishima, the country’s easternmost island, as it moves to enhance its defence posture against what it perceives as rising Chinese military activity in the region. The defence ministry is also seeking to deploy a launcher, spotting drones and radar systems on the island as early as June, according to a report by national broadcaster NHK on Tuesday. These would be used to identify and target vessels, complementing the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347873/what-japans-missile-plan-remote-pacific-island-reveals-about-its-defence-goals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347873/what-japans-missile-plan-remote-pacific-island-reveals-about-its-defence-goals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:27 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The sacred deer that have been a fixture of the ancient Japanese capital of Nara for centuries are beginning to wander far from the city’s famous park, where they have been fed and adored by millions of tourists and locals over the years. A male deer was recently spotted in the Zengenji district of Osaka, around 40km (25 miles) from its normal habitat and 3km from the city’s bustling main station. The appearance of wild deer in one of the most urban areas in Japan has attracted crowds of curious... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347736/oh-deer-famous-hoofed-residents-japans-nara-wander-far-osaka?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347736/oh-deer-famous-hoofed-residents-japans-nara-wander-far-osaka?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is facing accusations of diplomatic sycophancy after White House footage showed her giggling at a portrait of an autopen – placed by US President Donald Trump in the spot reserved for his predecessor Joe Biden – during summit talks last week. The clip, posted on the official White House website, shows Takaichi pointing at the framed picture, then laughing and covering her mouth. It was filmed on the “Presidential Walk of Fame”, a gallery unveiled by Trump... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347717/japan-pm-mocked-trump-sycophant-after-giggling-bidens-autopen-portrait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347717/japan-pm-mocked-trump-sycophant-after-giggling-bidens-autopen-portrait?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:40:50 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall In earthquake-prone Japan, 20 seconds could make a difference in minimising loss of life among train passengers who experience traumatic shaking during a major seismic event. The operator of the Shinkansen line between Osaka and Fukuoka in southern Japan is upgrading its earthquake early warning system to give trains operating at speeds of up to 300km/h (186mph) an additional 20 seconds to slow down and avert catastrophe in an area that experts warn could be hit by a megaquake at any moment. In... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347585/japans-railways-get-earthquake-early-warning-upgrade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347585/japans-railways-get-earthquake-early-warning-upgrade?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall People across Japan have recoiled in shock over US President Donald Trump’s joke about the attack on Pearl Harbour in the presence of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the White House, perceiving the incident as an insult to a long-time ally of Washington. The Japanese leader won some approval at home for her measured response even as she stiffened visibly over Trump’s comments at the joint press conference in the Oval Office on Thursday. Addressing a question from a Japanese reporter about... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347348/trumps-pearl-harbour-joke-falls-flat-japan-takaichi-praised-response?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347348/trumps-pearl-harbour-joke-falls-flat-japan-takaichi-praised-response?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:03:28 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s education ministry has launched a campaign to combat sexual misconduct by teachers and revised regulations against voyeurism, following the arrest of seven male educators for filming students without consent and sharing the footage on social media. A law aimed at preventing sexual misconduct in schools took effect in 2022, but the offences prompted further revisions. The ministry intends to update teachers on the rules, including the dismissal and prosecution of those who take... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347065/japan-gets-tough-against-teachers-sexual-misconduct-voyeurism-after-arrests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347065/japan-gets-tough-against-teachers-sexual-misconduct-voyeurism-after-arrests?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Russia’s defence ministry has released footage of its fighter jets carrying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles conducting exercises over the Sea of Japan, or East Sea, in a move interpreted as a message to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ahead of her talks with US President Donald Trump in Washington. The video shows a MiG-31 with a Kinzhal missile slung beneath its fuselage, with the ministry saying the aircraft was one of several that carried out manoeuvres off Japan’s northern coast.... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347058/russian-hypersonic-jets-buzz-japans-coast-thinly-veiled-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347058/russian-hypersonic-jets-buzz-japans-coast-thinly-veiled-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:22 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Shigeaki Mori, the Japanese atomic bomb survivor whose hug with then US president Barack Obama at a 2016 remembrance event in Hiroshima went viral globally, has died at the age of 88, just days after warning that the world seems on the brink of another nuclear catastrophe. Tributes have been coming in since Mori died in Hiroshima on Saturday, with many pointing out that as well as being a survivor of the world’s first atomic weapon, he was also a keen amateur historian who attracted attention in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346998/japanese-atomic-bomb-survivor-who-hugged-obama-hiroshima-dies-88?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346998/japanese-atomic-bomb-survivor-who-hugged-obama-hiroshima-dies-88?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:12:20 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A Japanese government agency has opened discussions on imposing a ban on children accessing social media, potentially following Australia’s lead in prohibiting under-16s from the most popular online platforms. Experts say it is far too early to determine whether the Australian experiment is a success and can be replicated in Japan, although there is a widely held belief that more needs to be done to limit the negative consequences of unfettered internet access for young people. In January,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346905/will-japan-follow-australias-lead-and-ban-children-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346905/will-japan-follow-australias-lead-and-ban-children-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Settling in Japan as a foreign national is about to become much more expensive after the government passed legislation to sharply increase visa application fees. Critics argue the policy is short-sighted amid a worsening labour shortage, but conservatives have dismissed such concerns, insisting that robots and artificial intelligence will soon replace workers in low-paid, service-sector roles. Detractors also contend the legislation is designed to deter less affluent migrants from developing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346825/japan-raise-residency-fees-2900-despite-deepening-labour-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346825/japan-raise-residency-fees-2900-despite-deepening-labour-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 03:47:17 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan has identified nearly 1,500 additional facilities that could serve as shelters in the event of missile or bomb attacks, amid mounting fears over the deteriorating security situation in northeast Asia. The government launched a study in 2024 to expand the existing list of facilities where the public could take cover during an attack and has since confirmed 1,489 sites – including subway stations and underground car parks – as suitable for short-term protection. The aim, the Sankei newspaper... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346776/japan-identifies-1500-new-missile-shelters-fears-grow-over-worsening-east-asia-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346776/japan-identifies-1500-new-missile-shelters-fears-grow-over-worsening-east-asia-security?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 01:30:11 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The rapidly escalating conflict in the Middle East threatens to overshadow this week’s meeting between Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and US President Donald Trump, where the two leaders are expected to deepen economic cooperation and collaboration in shipbuilding. Thursday’s summit at the White House puts Takaichi in a bind, caught between Trump’s call for Tokyo and others to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and her country’s constitutional limits on taking part in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346660/trump-wants-japanese-warships-hormuz-can-takaichi-dodge-bullet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346660/trump-wants-japanese-warships-hormuz-can-takaichi-dodge-bullet?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall They were killed by American bombs. They were held at gunpoint by Japanese guards who fired indiscriminately into the crowded holds and when the ship finally went down, many were left to drown. Eight decades later, the United States is coming back for them. Hundreds perished when the Japanese “hell ship” Oryoku Maru was sunk in Subic Bay in December 1944. Now, the Pentagon has launched a multi-year mission in waters off the Philippines to retrieve their remains. As many as 250 Americans are... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346424/us-returns-wwii-dead-japans-hell-ship-tomb-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346424/us-returns-wwii-dead-japans-hell-ship-tomb-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s most treasured historic sites still lack upgraded fire protection, raising concerns that irreplaceable cultural landmarks remain vulnerable to another catastrophic blaze. Government data shows work has yet to begin at about 30 per cent of the cultural properties prioritised under a national programme launched in the aftermath of the devastating blaze at Shuri Castle in Okinawa in 2019. The campaign, overseen by the Kyoto-based Agency for Cultural Affairs, was launched in 2020 to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345873/japans-cultural-treasures-still-exposed-fire-risk-safety-upgrades-stall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345873/japans-cultural-treasures-still-exposed-fire-risk-safety-upgrades-stall?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:24 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall One of Japan’s largest manga publishers is facing mounting backlash after it emerged that a writer convicted of sexually assaulting a minor had continued producing work for the company under a different name. The controversy has prompted some observers to ask whether Japan’s manga industry is experiencing a belated “#MeToo moment”, as prominent creators pull their works from the publisher’s Manga One digital platform in protest. Tokyo-based Shogakukan said on Tuesday it would set up a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345612/japans-manga-industry-faces-metoo-moment-after-shogakukan-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345612/japans-manga-industry-faces-metoo-moment-after-shogakukan-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is considering a significant expansion of its military presence on Iwoto – the island south of Tokyo better known as Iwo Jima and the site of one of World War II’s fiercest battles – as it responds to growing Chinese activity in the Pacific Ocean. The Asahi newspaper reported on Wednesday that the defence ministry planned to strengthen its presence on the volcanic island, about 1,207km south of the Japanese capital. Analysts say the aim is to bolster the economic and military security of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345637/japan-weighs-military-upgrade-iwo-jima-amid-growing-chinese-presence-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345637/japan-weighs-military-upgrade-iwo-jima-amid-growing-chinese-presence-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 02:00:13 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Muslims in a small town in northern Japan have been rattled by several suspected arson attacks, following months of online agitation targeting the community over purported construction violations. Three fires in just over two weeks have damaged Pakistani-owned businesses and the Ebetsu Masjid, a mosque in Ebetsu, central Hokkaido, prompting police investigations and deepening anxiety among the city’s roughly 700 Muslim residents. “We have women and children in the community, and I can tell you... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3345330/muslim-community-japan-shaken-suspected-arson-attacks-everyone-scared?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3345330/muslim-community-japan-shaken-suspected-arson-attacks-everyone-scared?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 04:00:21 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A walled mansion in one of Kobe’s most desirable suburbs is heading for a court-ordered auction, but its murky past as a target of gang attacks may put off potential buyers. The two-storey house, long the home of Kunio Inoue, head of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi – a breakaway faction of Japan’s largest yakuza syndicate – is being forcibly sold after judges held him liable for crimes committed by one of his subordinates, in a rare test of Japan’s anti-organised crime laws. The Osaka High Court issued... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345300/japanese-gang-leaders-house-sale-us330000-or-more-will-anyone-bite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345300/japanese-gang-leaders-house-sale-us330000-or-more-will-anyone-bite?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A record number of people under the age of 20 in Japan were arrested for cannabis offences last year, with experts on social norms attributing the sharp rise to growing despair about the future and the influence of celebrities known to use drugs. According to the National Police Agency (NPA), 1,373 people under the age of 20 were arrested for cannabis offences in Japan in 2025, an increase of more than a fifth from the previous year. The figure is the highest since age-specific drug offence data... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345251/japans-under-20s-are-getting-high-never-social-morals-are-dying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345251/japans-under-20s-are-getting-high-never-social-morals-are-dying?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Representatives of the Unification Church, the controversial South Korea-founded religious group that became a political flashpoint in Japan after the 2022 assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, are set to return to court on Wednesday as judges consider whether to strip it of its legal status. The Tokyo High Court is widely expected to uphold a lower court’s order to dissolve the organisation, officially known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, in a ruling that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345196/unification-church-faces-uphill-task-japan-fight-courts-liquidation-ruling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345196/unification-church-faces-uphill-task-japan-fight-courts-liquidation-ruling?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 02:00:26 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is likely to face another record-setting summer, climate experts have warned, as global warming continues to shrink Arctic ice, alter wind patterns and heat ocean waters. The Japan Meteorological Agency on Tuesday released its seasonal forecast for the coming months, predicting a 60 per cent probability of above-normal temperatures across Kyushu, Shikoku and the southern and eastern parts of Honshu between June and August. The southern islands of Okinawa, the northern prefecture of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3344770/japan-set-endure-another-record-hot-summer-global-warming-persists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3344770/japan-set-endure-another-record-hot-summer-global-warming-persists?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The arrest of a Japanese journalist in Iran has puzzled observers and prompted speculation that it is linked to the US threat to attack the country over its nuclear programme. On Tuesday, Radio Free Europe reported the arrest of Shinnosuke Kawashima, the Tehran bureau chief for Japan’s national broadcaster NHK. The US government-funded news outlet reported that Kawashima was first detained on January 20 and later taken to the notorious Evin Prison, which has been used to hold political prisoners... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344719/fears-mount-over-japanese-reporter-detained-iran-being-used-hostage-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344719/fears-mount-over-japanese-reporter-detained-iran-being-used-hostage-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:23:33 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A proposed scheme in Japan offering cash rewards for tip-offs about illegal foreign workers has won support from residents frustrated by what they see as weak enforcement of immigration rules, but migrant advocates warn the policy could deepen distrust and push vulnerable people further into the shadows. The “reporting reward” proposal, announced by Ibaraki Governor Kazuhiko Oigawa earlier this month, would pay “several tens of thousands of yen” for information leading to the detention of an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344640/japan-plan-give-cash-rewards-reporting-illegal-migrant-workers-divides-opinion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344640/japan-plan-give-cash-rewards-reporting-illegal-migrant-workers-divides-opinion?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 02:16:55 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, buoyed by a commanding majority in the powerful lower house after this month’s election, is poised to revive one of her longest-standing conservative causes: making it a crime to deface the national flag. At issue is the hinomaru, the national flag, which currently carries no specific criminal penalty if damaged or desecrated – even though the Penal Code sets punishments for defiling foreign flags displayed in Japan with the intent to insult. Takaichi has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344625/japans-takaichi-revives-push-criminalise-defacing-flag?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344625/japans-takaichi-revives-push-criminalise-defacing-flag?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Three men remain unconscious after a crush at one of Japan’s best-known traditional festivals, casting a shadow over a 500-year-old rite that draws thousands of nearly naked participants each winter. The incident occurred shortly after 10pm on Saturday at the annual “naked festival” at Saidaiji Kannon-in Temple in Okayama City, where an estimated 10,000 men wearing only mawashi loincloths packed into the temple’s main hall to seize one of two sacred wooden sticks known as shingi. Six men were... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344455/future-japans-naked-festival-doubt-after-three-men-left-unconscious?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344455/future-japans-naked-festival-doubt-after-three-men-left-unconscious?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s reputation as a nation where employees put in brutally long hours may have to be reassessed, according to recent official statistics showing that Japanese workers now clock fewer hours on average than Americans, Canadians and Italians. At first glance, the numbers suggest that government efforts to curb karoshi, or death by overwork, have paid off. But analysts and employees caution that the figures may not be directly comparable with those from other nations. According to figures... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344130/no-more-overworked-japan-new-figures-show-employees-clock-fewer-hours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344130/no-more-overworked-japan-new-figures-show-employees-clock-fewer-hours?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall When Sanae Takaichi strode into her first press conference as Japan’s reappointed prime minister on Wednesday, she delivered a clear message to the economists and editorial boards warning her away from her signature tax pledge. Food consumption tax is going to be scrapped, and nothing is going to stop her. Formally confirmed in office after the Diet voted to reappoint her – following a landslide victory in the House of Representatives election on February 8 – Takaichi reiterated her commitment... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344015/japans-takaichi-pushes-scrap-food-tax-ignoring-economists-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344015/japans-takaichi-pushes-scrap-food-tax-ignoring-economists-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 01:30:18 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall For nearly three decades, Washington and Tokyo have pledged to close a controversial US airbase in Okinawa, located in the middle of a densely populated island. But the plan is now facing new uncertainty. The US military would not return its Futenma airbase to Japanese control until Tokyo builds a longer runway than the one being built at a replacement site in the northeast of Okinawa prefecture, according to a report. Japan’s national broadcaster NHK reported on Wednesday that the US Department... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344039/why-plan-us-and-japan-relocate-okinawa-airbase-hitting-turbulence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344039/why-plan-us-and-japan-relocate-okinawa-airbase-hitting-turbulence?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A bizarre, previously unreported incident involving a naked man at Japan’s Imperial Palace during a new year’s celebration has raised questions about the emperor’s security as the royal household prepares for his birthday audience on Monday. The breach occurred on January 2 but only came to light this week, when the magazine News Post Seven published an account of the episode. An official from the Imperial Household Agency confirmed to This Week in Asia that a security incident had taken place... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343918/naked-intruder-exposes-gaps-japans-royal-security-enormous-failure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343918/naked-intruder-exposes-gaps-japans-royal-security-enormous-failure?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will not send a cabinet minister to an annual ceremony calling for the return of the Liancourt Rocks – known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea – stepping back from an earlier pledge and signalling a softer touch towards Seoul. Analysts say the decision not to dispatch a senior minister to the event reflects a pragmatic effort to steady Japan-South Korea ties, even if it leaves some of her most conservative supporters “very... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343856/japans-takaichi-steps-back-liancourt-rocks-pledge-sign-softer-line-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343856/japans-takaichi-steps-back-liancourt-rocks-pledge-sign-softer-line-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall As Beijing urges its citizens to steer clear of Japan, Russian travellers are stepping into the gap – a shift that reflects how sanctions on Moscow, Japan’s cautious diplomatic balancing and a weak yen are redrawing the region’s tourism map. The Mainichi newspaper reported on Sunday that the Japanese embassy in Russia had opened two new visa application centres, in Moscow and St Petersburg, to cope with rising demand. Officials said there were 53,327 visa applications from across Russia in 2019,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343757/russia-emerges-unlikely-growth-market-japan-tourism-china-pulls-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343757/russia-emerges-unlikely-growth-market-japan-tourism-china-pulls-back?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 03:00:18 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The broad anti-base alliance that has shaped Okinawa’s politics for nearly a decade is reeling after a bruising election defeat, raising questions about the future of organised resistance to the US military presence on Japan’s southernmost islands. All Okinawa – a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups that backs Governor Denny Tamaki and campaigns to curb the US military footprint in the prefecture – failed to win a single one of Okinawa’s four single-seat constituencies in the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343763/what-next-okinawas-anti-base-alliance-after-japan-election-loss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343763/what-next-okinawas-anti-base-alliance-after-japan-election-loss?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A German defence company has successfully tested an uncrewed cargo glider designed to support frontline military units, a technology that Tokyo is also exploring as it looks to bolster its capabilities in islands to the far southwest of the Japanese archipelago. Munich-based Hensoldt said on February 5 that it had marked a milestone in the development of its High-Altitude Drop Infiltrating System, or HADIS, after releasing a scale version of the uncrewed vehicle from a transport aircraft during... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343528/can-german-stealth-cargo-gliders-boost-japans-remote-island-defence-and-logistics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343528/can-german-stealth-cargo-gliders-boost-japans-remote-island-defence-and-logistics?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 03:00:16 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall North Korea’s claim that Japan has crossed a diplomatic “red line” by deepening its security partnerships is less about Tokyo’s defence policies than Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s decisive election victory, analysts say, as a weaker mandate may have pushed her towards negotiations with Pyongyang. With a commanding majority secured in Sunday’s poll, Takaichi now faces fewer domestic constraints as she signals plans to expand defence cooperation with Western partners and potentially push ahead... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343322/why-takaichis-japan-election-victory-has-sparked-north-koreas-childish-fury?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343322/why-takaichis-japan-election-victory-has-sparked-north-koreas-childish-fury?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s fledgling opposition alliance is scrambling to regroup after a bruising election defeat that has left its future in doubt, raising broader questions about whether the country can sustain a credible parliamentary counterweight to the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA) is set to elect a new leader on Friday, just days after voters delivered a resounding blow in Sunday’s House of Representatives poll, prompting the resignation of its joint... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343191/japans-new-opposition-alliance-already-dead-water?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343191/japans-new-opposition-alliance-already-dead-water?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall This year, nearly one in four Japanese companies are expected to fall victim to baito tero, a term describing part-time employees performing pranks or stunts at work to post on social media, according to a new report. The study by Tokyo-based human resources provider Mynavi, conducted in December and released in late January, revealed that most of the incidents came to light because the perpetrators shared their antics on social media. Karaoke bars, hotels, restaurants, convenience stores,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343122/japan-viral-baito-tero-workplace-pranks-plague-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343122/japan-viral-baito-tero-workplace-pranks-plague-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Despite a decisive election victory built on promises to ease Japan’s cost-of-living crisis, fresh government data released this week suggests voters’ faith in Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s brand of “trickle-down” prosperity may soon be tested. Preliminary figures from the labour ministry show that inflation-adjusted wages shrank by 1.3 per cent last year, extending a three-year slide in real incomes as rising prices for essentials continued to outstrip pay increases. The average employee... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343048/japans-wage-squeeze-undermines-takaichis-trickle-down-plans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343048/japans-wage-squeeze-undermines-takaichis-trickle-down-plans?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japanese police officers who had to be disciplined hit a 10-year high last year, prompting calls for an overhaul for the force. Figures released by the National Police Agency on Thursday showed that 337 personnel had to be disciplined over the course of the year. The problem has become so serious that a leading Japanese newspaper published an editorial on January 26 describing the scale and sheer number of incidents as “hard to believe” and demanding that senior management “rebuild the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3342743/japans-police-face-calls-overhaul-discipline-cases-hit-10-year-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3342743/japans-police-face-calls-overhaul-discipline-cases-hit-10-year-high?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall It starts as a distant series of distorted notes, carried on the wind through Tokyo’s suburbs. Gradually, it comes closer and the noise builds. Eventually, the van rounds a corner and I am subjected to the full power of a sound system that would not be out of place at a rock concert. Flags flutter from the rear of the white van, which has its party affiliation emblazoned across the bonnet and down both sides. A man in a baseball cap declaring his political preference is behind the wheel and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3342639/annoying-or-background-noise-japans-sound-trucks-full-blast-election-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3342639/annoying-or-background-noise-japans-sound-trucks-full-blast-election-time?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 07:23:06 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s hay fever sufferers have been warned to brace themselves for significantly higher levels of pollen this spring, with some already reporting having runny noses and itchy eyes for days. Hay fever season typically starts in Tokyo and eastern parts of the country in early February, peaks towards the end of the month and eases from mid-March. It affects the southern and other parts of the country slightly later. According to Weathernews, a weather information company which monitors the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3342548/japan-enters-hay-fever-season-pollen-levels-may-surge-due-horribly-high-summer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3342548/japan-enters-hay-fever-season-pollen-levels-may-surge-due-horribly-high-summer?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall As Japan heads into a snap election, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is rumoured to be weighing a trip to North Korea aimed at securing the return of her country’s citizens who were abducted decades ago. The suggestion of a breakthrough came from Tsutomu Nishioka, a visiting professor at Reitaku University and long-time campaigner for the abductees’ families. Nishioka, who chairs the National Association for the Rescue of Japanese Kidnapped by North Korea and is also a senior member of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342387/japan-north-korea-summit-rumours-link-takaichi-shock-visit-ahead-vote?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342387/japan-north-korea-summit-rumours-link-takaichi-shock-visit-ahead-vote?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:37 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall With the number of deaths during the current severe winter season in Japan expected to rise, environmental and tourism experts have warned of greater risks to lives and property arising from unpredictable weather patterns due to climate change. Parts of Japan have experienced “disaster-level” snowfall in recent days, with authorities reporting at least 29 dead and 290 injured in accidents since January 20. Just as Japanese summers are becoming hotter, longer and more humid, global warming is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3342265/japans-deadly-winter-rages-fears-disaster-level-weather-patterns-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3342265/japans-deadly-winter-rages-fears-disaster-level-weather-patterns-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 03:00:39 +0000