Comedian Nana Takamatsu has held a class at a junior high school in Tokyo to teach students the importance of elections and democracy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/06/japan/politics/comedian-election-importance-student/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #2026lowerhouseelection #children #juniorhighschools #education #tokyo #comedy
Tokyo police arrested a 40-year-old nursery school teacher on Wednesday on suspicion of indecent assault on an elementary school boy during an accommodation event hosted by an after-school child care center. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/04/japan/crime-legal/nursery-teacher-sexual-abuse/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #sexcrimes #daycare #tokyo #japanesepolice
Koichi Hagiuda, an LDP executive who is running in the Tokyo No. 24 constituency, is seeking to fully re-emerge from the party's high-profile slush fund scandal with an election victory. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/04/japan/politics/lower-house-election-tokyo-koichi-hagiuda/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #2026lowerhouseelection #koichihagiuda #ldp #politicalfunds #tokyo #komeito #hachioji
The net population inflow into the Tokyo metropolitan area slowed for the first time in four years in 2025, data shows, while that into the area made up of Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo and Nara prefectures rose. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/03/japan/society/tokyo-population-inflow-slow/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #internalaffairsministry #tokyo #population #decentralization
For the fourth time, two candidates in Tokyo with the surname Suzuki will be fighting for a seat in parliament, this time in the Feb. 8 Lower House election. But a party change could give a needed edge to one of them. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/01/japan/politics/reportage-tokyo-10th-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #cra #komeito #cdp #sanseito #dpp #jcp #tokyo #sokagakkai #2026lowerhouseelection
Inflation in Tokyo slowed to 2% year-on-year in January from 2.3% in the previous month, hitting the lowest level since October 2024. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/30/economy/tokyo-cpi-january/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #inflation #tokyo #japaneseeconomy #economicindicators #food #energy
A power outage occurred near JR Ueno Station in Tokyo at around 7 a.m. on Friday, prompting the partial suspension of operations on the Joban Line. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/30/japan/jr-joban-line-suspended-ueno-power-outage/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #jreast #rail #jobanline #tokyo #ibaraki
The president of the University of Tokyo has pledged to strengthen governance at the institution following the discovery of a second bribery case involving its staff in three months. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/29/japan/crime-legal/tokyo-university-governance/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #universityoftokyo #corruption #medicine #cosmetics #japancosmeticassociation #hospitals #tokyo
Tokyo police have arrested the head of what they say is Japan’s largest sex worker scouting ring after a yearlong manhunt. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/27/japan/crime-legal/scout-leader-arrest/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #natural #prostitution #tokyo #women039sissues #yakuza #japanesepolice
Despite growing concerns about overtourism, Japan remains the top destination for international travelers in 2026 — and data suggests the gap with other contenders is widening. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2026/01/24/travel/travel-japan-world-rankings-tokyo-kyoto-osaka/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #travel #travel #overtourism #tokyo #osaka #kyoto
One person died and eight were injured in an auto accident in Tokyo on Thursday evening involving an official vehicle of the Cabinet Office and five other cars. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/23/japan/crime-legal/cabinet-office-car-accident/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #trafficaccidents #tokyo #japanesepolice #cabinetoffice
When Ueno Zoo’s last pandas leave this month, the loss won’t just be emotional. Economists estimate the absence of pandas could cost the area ¥15 billion a year — a reminder that pandas are serious business. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/23/japan/society/japan-china-panda-diplomacy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #chinajapanrelations #china #pandas #ueno #tokyo #animals #zoos #uenozoo
Brookfield Asset Management plans to double its Tokyo office space with a move to the landmark Roppongi Hills development, according to people familiar with the matter. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/20/companies/brookfield-roppongi-hills/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #brookfieldassetmanagement #roppongihills #tokyo #realestate #investments
The two remaining giant pandas in Japan, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei of Tokyo's Ueno Zoo, are to leave for China on Jan. 27, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/20/japan/pandas-china-return/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #chinajapanrelations #china #pandas #ueno #tokyo #animals #zoos #uenozoo
The health ministry has asked local governments across Japan to survey safety management at sauna facilities following a fatal accident in Tokyo last December. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/17/japan/japan-survey-safety-saunas/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #tokyo #japanesepolice #akasaka #minatoward
An official died and another was injured after a resident who was subject to a court-ordered eviction stabbed them at an apartment in Tokyo’s Suginami Ward, Tokyo police said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/16/japan/crime-legal/court-official-conducting-eviction-stabbed/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #japanesecourts #realestate #tokyo #suginami #stabbings #japanesepolice
All services on the busy Yamanote Line in Tokyo were suspended from the first train on Friday due to a power outage. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/16/japan/yamanote-line-power-outage/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #yamanoteline #tokyo #jreast #rail
A 38-year-old Thai woman residing in Japan was arrested Thursday for allegedly acting as a broker in a case involving a young Thai girl who was forced to perform sexual services for money at a massage parlor in Tokyo. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/15/japan/crime-legal/thai-girl-broker/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #thailand #japanesepolice #sexcrimes #children #humantrafficking #childabuse #thailandjapanrelations #tokyo
Residents of Tokyo’s 23 wards may soon be required to pay to get their waste collected. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/14/japan/tokyo-garbage-collection-fee/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #tokyo #localgovernment #waste
Japan is one of the world’s safest countries. So why do so many people feel uneasy? This week, @AlexktMartin takes a look at crime, perception and the growing gap between data and fear. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/12/japan/society/japan-safety-security-crime/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #demographics #crime #tokyo #adachiward #saitama #depopulation #elderly #expats