News

LAW & CRIME

Japan’s Internet Wants Uchida Riko Executed. Here’s Why That Won’t Happen

The Internet is calling for blood in the brutal murder of a 17-year-old girl. But prosecutors are following decades of precedent.

RACE IN JAPAN

A Nepali Konbini Clerk Foiled a Scam in Japan, Even as Politicians Cast Foreigners as Threat

A 24-year-old Nepali convenience-store clerk in Kobe sensed an elderly customer was being scammed and stepped in.

WOMEN

Japanese TV Station’s Sexist Program Title Has Men Arguing Against Themselves

If the show's producers were hoping to grab a negative reaction from women, they didn't succeed. But it got plenty of men…

LAW & CRIME

“Accidental” Affair? Japan Supreme Court Reconsiders Cheating Damages Award

On June 5, 2026, Japan's Supreme Court issued its first-ever ruling on a question most Westerners don't know Japanese law even asks:…

LGBTQ

Tokyo Court Awards Damages to Outed Transgender Author

Award-winning author Li Kotomi won a small but symbolic ruling against a lawyer who had been involved in the Aum Shinrikyo trials.

TRAVEL

Minoh: Discover Forest Trails, Temples, and Autumn Colors Beyond Osaka

Tired of the crowds in Osaka City? Enjoy some fresh air, a slower pace of life, and local delicacies in nearby Minoh.

TRAVEL

Shibuya’s Littering Fine Targets Both Tourists and Trashy Locals

Who's making Shibuya a worse place to live? The ward rolls out a new fine targeting not just tourists, but messy locals.

SOCIETY

Japan Chain’s Women-Only Gyms Spark New Debates Over Safety vs. Fairness

A gym chain in Japan has come under fire from women for not enforcing gender restrictions - and from men for having…