Tokyo: 22 March Fukuoka: 22 March Nagoya: 21 March Kochi: 24 March Hiroshima: 25 March Kagoshima: 26 March Osaka: 25 March Kanazawa: 31 March Sendai: 4 April Niigata: 5 April Nagano: 8 April Akita: 12 April Aomori: 20 April Sapporo: 30 April Kushiro: 7 May

Current Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said she would step down immediately if her ruling coalition fails to secure a majority in the House of Representatives, calling the snap election a test of voter approval for her new alliance between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party. She described the coalition as a major political realignment and said she is prepared to accept whatever verdict voters deliver. Takaichi also pledged to eliminate the consumption tax on food items temporarily, targeting household budgets crushed by rising prices. The tax cut proposal has spooked financial markets and raised concerns about Japan's already massive debt load, weakening the yen and triggering a selloff in government bonds. Analysts believe the LDP is well-positioned to perform strongly, but the party lost its parliamentary majority in 2024 following political funding scandals. Even if Takaichi wins big, she will still need opposition support to pass legislation in ...

Panda twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei left Tokyo's Ueno Zoo on Tuesday, leaving Japan without pandas for the first time in fifty years. Thousands of fans gathered for final goodbyes, with many in tears as they watched the bears during one-minute viewing windows on their last public day. The pandas' abrupt return was announced last month during a diplomatic spat that began when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hinted that Tokyo could intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan. The first pair of pandas arrived in Japan in October 1972, one month after Japan normalized diplomatic ties with China, and the bears have symbolized friendship between the two nations ever since. Beijing is reportedly also choking off exports to Japan of rare-earth products crucial for making everything from electric cars to missiles. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, "I know giant pandas are loved by many in Japan, and we welcome Japanese friends to come visit them in China," e...

China just canceled all 49 scheduled flights to Japan for February, cutting off travel during what should be the busiest month of the year. February coincides with Lunar New Year, traditionally the peak season for Chinese tourists visiting Japan for shopping, skiing, and cultural experiences. The flight cancellations follow escalating tensions after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan triggered sharp backlash from Beijing. Chinese authorities reportedly instructed airlines to slash Japan routes by roughly forty percent, effectively freezing tourist traffic at the worst possible time for Japanese hotels and retailers. Tour operators in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka are bracing for massive revenue losses as bookings vanish overnight. Yet some foreign tourists and local Japanese residents are quietly celebrating the sudden drop in crowds at temples, ski resorts, and popular shopping districts. Social media posts show noticeably emptier streets in Harajuku, shorter lines at ram...

Japan's Naomi Osaka turned heads at the 2026 Australian Open wearing a jellyfish-inspired outfit that went viral across tennis and fashion communities. The design featured flowing translucent layers mimicking jellyfish tentacles, shifting colors under stadium lights as she moved. A delicate butterfly sat perched on her hat, symbolizing transformation and personal growth after years of mental health struggles and career challenges. Osaka worked with designers to create the look, blending marine biology aesthetics with high-performance athletic wear. Fans flooded social media praising the bold choice, calling it one of the most creative outfits in recent Grand Slam history. Some traditionalists criticized the design as too distracting, arguing tennis attire should remain simple and functional. Osaka defended the outfit, saying self-expression through fashion helps her feel confident and connected to her creativity on court. The jellyfish theme reportedly symbolizes grace under pressu...

  Japan just beamed solar power from space to Earth for the first time in history. Japan's OHISAMA project successfully launched a satellite equipped with solar panels that collect energy in space and transmit it wirelessly to the ground. The satellite converts captured solar energy into microwaves and beams it directly to a receiver station on Earth. The first successful transmission happened in late 2025, marking a major breakthrough in space-based solar power technology. Unlike ground-based solar panels, the satellite collects energy continuously without interference from weather, nighttime, or atmospheric conditions. Japanese scientists say space-based solar could eventually provide constant clean energy regardless of location or time of day. The technology addresses one of renewable energy's biggest weaknesses, the inability to generate power around the clock. If scaled up, Japan could deploy multiple satellites to create a stable energy grid independent of fossil fuels or...

  Japan and South Korea are trying to reset relations as their leaders played K-pop on Pearl drum kits in Nara. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung played drums together on Tuesday after formal summit talks concluded. The two leaders performed "Dynamite" by BTS and "Golden" from the Golden Globes-winning animated film "Kpop Demon Hunters" on matching Pearl drum kits manufactured in Japan. Takaichi personally taught Lee how to play the drums during the session, according to the South Korean government. The choice of K-pop songs was deliberate, signaling Japan's willingness to embrace South Korean cultural exports despite Takaichi's nationalist reputation. Pearl drums are one of Japan's most successful musical instrument brands, adding a layer of Japanese pride to the diplomatic gesture. Both governments framed the informal moment as a breakthrough after years of strained relations over historical disputes and t...