Would you buy a subscription to ride the train? JR East is hoping you will – and hoping the plan helps save its Suica card from extinction.
A British man has found himself in a whole lot of trouble over his refusal to pay a measly three yen for a bag.
Electric suitcases are all the rage among some tourists – but Japan’s major airports are begging people to stick to their feet.
Here’s why police around Himeji Castle are telling tourists that if the plate is white, you should say “thanks, I’m alright.”
How did a toilet on a road leading into a village of 1,300 people in Nara Prefecture end up costing close to 100 million yen?
The number of suicides among school-age kids has hit an all-time high. Experts say that requires new strategies.
A sexist symbol of Japan’s past is no more: As of February 2025, Kanagawa Police say new female recruits will only receive slacks.
The plan is coming under fire from some who say such programs should be spearheaded by the central government to benefit all of Japan.
What do you get when you dump a bowl of ramen on top of a pizza crust? UJ decided to take one for the team and find out.
It’s a dessert you can literally see through. Lawson tries to keep its lucky marketing streak going with its latest oddity.
Are you a Kinoko no Yama fan or a Takenoko no Sato fan? It doesn’t matter – either way, you’re gonna get less than what you paid for.
Looking for a Valentine’s Day date spot in Tokyo or Kawasaki? Shiseido Parlour’s upping the ante with its two V-Day parfaits.
In the wake of ex-SMAP member Nakai Masahiro’s sexual assault scandal, women are sharing their workplace horror stories.
Nearly half of women in Japan say they have to wait in excruciatingly long lines to use the restroom. Is that discrimination?
Ito’s documentary about her sexual assault, which has won worldwide acclaim, is the first by a Japanese director to get an Oscar nod.
Pro women’s shogi player Nishiyama Tomoka came close to breaking a 100-year barrier for women in her exam match this week.
How about some bubuzuke? A recent event in Kyoto tested people’s ability to pick up on the REAL meaning behind seemingly bland statements.
Gone are the days of “chan” and “kun” in Japanese business. Recent research finds bosses are striking a more respectful tone.
Need more Japanese practice? This service offers on-demand access to native Japanese speakers – but it’ll cost ya.
People keep telling me AI chatbots are the future of Japanese language learning. So I tried a few. Here’s why they’re wrong.
Viewers in Japan were shocked this week when both Sazae-san and Chibi Maruko-chan aired without a sponsor placard or commercials.
What better destination could there be for Vtuber fans than Tokyo? Here are some great places to check out when in town for the Expo.
Some diehard fans say there’s a reason ex-SMAP member Nakai Masahiro is behaving badly: because the actual Nakai is dead.
Will Fuji TV disappear from Japan’s airwaves? That’s what some are wondering as the company loses most of its sponsors.
They’re one of the world’s most important Japanese diaspora groups. Meet the Japanese-Peruvians, and learn their dramatic history.
Spurred by colonialist propaganda that called his people “a dying race,” Iboshi Hokuto spent his short life in service to his belief that “only the Ainu could save the Ainu.”
Want a rare peak into Japan’s pre-history? An expanded exhibit at Tokyo National Museum is celebrating Haniwa, funerary statues from the country’s Kofun Era, bringing some rare pieces together under the same roof for the first time.
In 1990, journalist Akiyama Toyohiro became the first Japanese astronaut in space. Too bad he had such a rough time of it.
Ichikawa City in Chiba Prefecture will become the first in Japan to extend a marriage benefits program to sexual and gender minorities.
The government is still investigating whether same-sex couples in common-law marriages are covered by an additional 130 laws.
The report says 54.2% of school nurses neglect to obtain a student’s permission before sharing their gender or sexuality concerns.
Could marriage equality finally pass in Japan? A ruling from the Fukuoka High Court last week is putting pressure on legislators to act. Now, one report says that there may be enough votes in the House of Representatives to make it happen.
Politician Shiiki Tamotsu admitted in court that he sexually assaulted a child. So why did he get off so easy?
It’s one of Osaka’s most famous sites. It’s also become an increasingly dangerous spot for young girls with nowhere else to go.
Abandoned houses continue to rise in Japan – and thieves are taking advantage of it by finding them and stripping them clean.
Police now say that the bomber, who evaded capture for 49 years, confessed to his involvement in a bombing targeting a construction company.
High cabbage prices in Japan show no sign of abating. That’s led supermarkets to get desperate. And by “desperate,” we mean relying on China.
Gone are the days of “chan” and “kun” in Japanese business. Recent research finds bosses are striking a more respectful tone.
7-11 Japan say a new discount campaign is winning back customers. But many say the chain’s offerings are still a raw deal.
Would you pay to shop in a bookstore? Many in Japan would. Here’s why Bunkitsu and other admission-based bookstores are booming.
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