Hana Kimura’s apparent suicide late last month at age 22 has provoked a national call for action against online bullying, thrusting Japan into a global debate over how much responsibility online platforms should have for moderating the content they host. Read more
Preparations seem to be barely out of the starting blocks. Read more
By luck or by design, Japan has been spared a devastating outbreak of the coronavirus occurring in other parts of the world. Read more
Japanese police on Wednesday arrested a suspect in the deadly arson at a Kyoto anime studio last year after he recovered enough from his own severe burns to respond to the police investigation. Read more
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted the virus emergency this evening and told a news conference that reviving an economy mired in a recession was now the top priority. Read more
Businesses in much of Japan resumed operations Friday, one day after the government lifted the state of emergency imposed after the coronavirus spread in 39 prefectures. Read more
Many schools reopened amid strict guidelines Monday after the Japanese government last week lifted the state of emergency for many parts of the country. Read more
Ryoki Ono, head priest at Onoterusaki Shrine in downtown Tokyo, performed a livestream prayer in early May during a 10-day trial of an “online shrine” visiting program that allowed the public to join rituals from their homes. Read more
The drop in exports is the worst since the 2008 financial crisis, as export-dependent Japan struggles to juggle the health risks of COVID-19 with the dire need to keep the economy going. Read more
Toshiro Muto floated ideas about cuts everywhere, though the only specific target he mentioned was the torch relay. Read more
The coronavirus in Japan has brought not just an epidemic of infections, but also an onslaught of bullying and discrimination against the sick, their families and health workers. Read more
Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who heads the country’s response to the virus, said he asked the government’s advisory panel to consider the plan at a meeting Thursday. Abe is expected to formalize the decision later in the day to remove most of the country from the emergency status that was previously set to end May 31. He is scheduled to hold a news conference at 6 p.m. Read more
A Tokyo train station is crowded with commuters wearing face masks for protection from the coronavirus. Read more
Sales of three-wheeled mopeds used widely in the Japanese food-delivery industry have accelerated amid the stay-at-home economy that has emerged from the coronavirus outbreak. Read more
With the spread of the new coronavirus, many smaller Tokyo companies have seen their sales fall. But some are finding ways to use their technological prowess to help prevent infection. Read more
Burglars breaking into homes where kids have been left alone due to school closures, suspects luring children with the promises of coronavirus cures: These are some of the crimes police are warning the public about as criminals take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
In the central Chubu region, they are seen as a pleasant snack and an invigorating ingredient in drinks. Read more
About 800,000 colorful tulips in bloom were cut from their stems at the Sakura Furusato Square in Sakura, Chiba Prefecture, to help deter visitors and prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Read more
People infected with the coronavirus, or the medical institutions treating them, will input their symptoms into a new centralized data system soon to be introduced by the health ministry. Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted many services and events to go virtual, from online classes and drinking parties to online hostess bars. Read more
The statue of Hachiko, a Japanese dog famous for his devotion to his master, was outfi tted with a face mask recently as Japan grappled with the spread of the coronavirus and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a national state of emergency. Read more
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