Asia Japan Remote-controlled robots have been deployed to one of the reactors at Fukushima nuclear plant to prepare the removal of around 880 tonnes of radioactive debris, the most daunting challenge in the decommissioning operation following 2011 earthquake damages
Asia Japan Ultra-deep-sea quest to mine rare earths triggers a green backlash as an extreme-depth drilling mission is announced to a site around 100km from remote atoll Minamitorishima, the easternmost point of Japan territory, risking a global ‘race to the bottom’
Asia Japan A team representing the United States won the championship of the World Cosplay Summit 2025 in Nagoya; they were clad in popular game characters
Asia Japan For the first time since 2016, a typhoon made landfall on Hokkaido coast; Typhoon Nari crossed near Cape Erimo before weakening to a storm according to the Japan Meteorological Agency
Asia Japan Researchers from major universities, including Tokyo's Waseda, have used prompts in their papers to get positive AI-based reviews, raising concerns about integrity, amid a surge in peer-to-peer review exploitation in academic publishing
Asia Japan A record 21,5 million foreign visitors entered Japan in the first half of 2025 and travel demand appears to remain strong, if not constant, outside peak seasons
Asia Japan Japan ranked 118th out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Report, the same position as last year - the lowest among G7; political empowerment is the weakest area, while education and health register near gender parity
Asia Japan With rice at record-high prices, Japan authorities warn of scams in fraudulent websites claiming to sell rice at low prices, while new farm minister plans to abandon auctioning stockpiled rice and set prices through negotiation to better control them
Asia Japan Japan came 14th among 36 developed countries in new child well-being survey, up from 20th in the previous survey released in 2020; the UNICEF Innocenti report comprehensively evaluates children's mental well-being, physical health and skills
Asia Japan Around 119.000 people visited the Osaka Expo on its opening day Sunday 14 April, the Japan Association for the 2025 World Expo said that over 140.000 people had made reservations 20.000 appear to have changed their dates to avoid bad weather
Asia Japan A bill to tighten regulations on host clubs was approved, aiming to curb abusive practices that force female patrons into prostitution and will now be submitted to parliament; 2.776 official reports in 2024 of such exploitation have drawn public outcry
Asia Japan Guinness World Records has officially recognised Shitsui Hakoishi as the world's oldest professional barber: the Japanese woman, 108-years-old, stated that she plans to retire when she turns 110
Asia Japan A persistent territorial dispute with Russia over islands off Hokkaido that has impeded a peace treaty could be soon ended: PM Ishiba vowed to give 'priority' to the resolution and resume exchange programs allowing former Japan residents to visit them