PM Shigeru Ishiba's governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has lost its majority Japanese elections are normally steady and boring affairs - but this snap election was neither. The dramatic vote follows a political funding corruption scandal that was revealed last year, which implicated senior lawmakers and cabinet members from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), tarnishing its image and

Shimayama-san behind the counter of his tiny shop in Akihabara, Tokyo, which he ran for 43 years. Photo by Lee Chapman The joy of clutterThe world sees Japan as a paragon of minimalism. But its hidden clutter culture shows that ‘more’ can be as magical as ‘less’by Matt Alt + BIO Shimayama-san behind the counter of his tiny shop in Akihabara, Tokyo, which he ran for 43 years. Photo by Lee Chapman I

The change of guard comes at a turbulent time for Japan's ruling party Japan’s scandal-hit ruling party has elected Shigeru Ishiba as its new leader, positioning the former defence chief as Japan's next leader. Ishiba, 67, said he would clean up his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), revitalise the economy and address security threats after winning Friday's party election. Since the LDP has a parliam

Japan's prime minister Fumio Kishida is expected to step down in September Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will not seek re-election as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which he says needs a "new start". The 67-year-old LDP veteran is expected to step down as PM after the party elects a new leader in September. Support for Mr Kishida, who has been PM since 2021, has fallen

Commemoration events are regularly held at Nagasaki's peace statue Ambassadors from Western countries including the United States and the United Kingdom will not attend a ceremony marking the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki after Israel was snubbed. The mayor of the south-western Japanese city, Shiro Suzuki, said on Thursday that Israel not being invited to attend was not politi

Brown bears are now thought to outnumber the less aggressive black bear in Japan Facing an alarming rise in bear attacks, Japan wants to make it easier to shoot the animals in residential areas - but hunters say it is too risky. In the year to April, there were a record 219 bear attacks in the country - six of them fatal, according to official data. Deadly attacks have continued to occur in recent

The southern islands of Okinawa host the bulk of US forces in Japan A US soldier has been charged with the kidnapping and rape of a teenage girl in Okinawa, a Japanese island chain that hosts the region's largest American military base. The case is likely to stoke the long-standing local opposition to US military presence - the islands are home to more than half of the 54,000 US soldiers serving i

Kabosu's owner, Atsuko Sato, rescued her from a puppy mill in 2008 Kabosu, the dog behind the "doge" meme, has died after 14 years of internet fame, her owner has said. The Japanese shiba inu inspired a generation of online jokes and became the face of Dogecoin cryptocurrency. She had been suffering from leukaemia and liver disease and died on 24 May. "She quietly passed away as if asleep while I

This is the shot that draws so many visitors to Fuji Kawaguchiko A group of tourists wheel their bulky luggage and wind their way through the crowds in search of the perfect shot. They huddle on a pavement opposite a convenience store - but this is no ordinary store. Rising behind it is Japan's highest summit, the majestic Mount Fuji. The snowy 3,776m-peak forms a stunning backdrop for those in se

A photo of a smiling Ridge Alkonis sitting with his family in a car after his release When the story of Ridge Alkonis first broke on 29 May 2021, it did not initially attract much attention in Japan. The US Navy officer had killed two Japanese citizens in a car accident during a trip to Mount Fuji - the victims were an 85-year-old woman and her son-in-law, aged 54. After pleading guilty to neglige

Pushing a walker through a television studio in central Tokyo earlier this week, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi slowly climbed three steps onto a sound stage with the help of an assistant who settled her into a creamy beige Empire armchair. A stylist removed the custom-made sturdy boots on her feet and slipped on a pair of high-heeled mules. A makeup artist brushed her cheeks and touched up her blazing red li

Many people are thought to be trapped under their collapsed homes in the town of Wajima A woman in her 80s has been pulled from the rubble of her collapsed house in Japan, 72 hours after the New Year's Day earthquake.

Rescue efforts continue in Japan after at least 64 people were killed in a powerful earthquake that hit the country on New Year's Day.

A Japan Airlines plane burst into flames after a collision with a smaller coastguard aircraft on the runway at Tokyo's Haneda airport. All 379 passengers and crew on board were evacuated, but five of the six crew on the coastguard plane died, police said. The captain was injured.

Thousands in shelters overnight after tsunami warnings in Japan

This article was featured in One Story to Read Today, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a single must-read from The Atlantic, Monday through Friday. Sign up for it here. On the last morning of his life, Shinzo Abe arrived in the Japanese city of Nara, famous for its ancient pagodas and sacred deer. His destination was more prosaic: a broad urban intersection across from the city’s main t

Japan has begun its controversial discharge of treated waste water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean, sparking protests in the region and retaliation from Beijing.

Japan has become increasingly divided over its commitment to post-war pacifist ideals Toshiyuki Mimaki says he remembers crying as he looked up at a blackened sunset after the nuclear bomb hit Hiroshima. He was only three years old at the time, but he remembers the dazed and burnt survivors fleeing past his home in the countryside. He remembers heading into the city with his family, searching for