Japan

BoJ Raises Policy Rate to 1.25%, Pressuring the Yen to Strengthen

The Bank of Japan lifted its main rate to 1.25%, a 31-year high, as global rate hikes and rising energy costs push inflation upward.

Tokyo Film Festival Secures Cate Blanchett, Raises Profile With Gala and Animation Slates

The 39th Tokyo Film Festival named 15 Gala films and 12 animation titles, including Wild Horse Nine, Behemoth! and Grotesqqque.

Nagoya’s Container Huts Leave Athletes Cramped and Leaking Ahead of Asian Games

Around 2,000 competitors face cramped, leaking container accommodation in Nagoya as organisers rush repairs and defend housing plans.

Yamanashi Will Charge Helicopter Rescues for Off-Season Mount Fuji Climbers

From next year Yamanashi will bill people rescued by helicopter after off-season Mount Fuji climbs, and require detailed climbing plans.

Monarte Floats Parked Cars To Protect Them From Flood Damage

A resin-coated foam parking pad, held by four steel posts, will lift up to 6600 pounds as waters rise. It is sold only in Japan.

Japan Deploys JS Kunisaki and CH-47s to Borneo, Bolstering Indonesia’s Fight Against Haze

Tokyo sent the landing ship JS Kunisaki, three CH-47s and about 300 personnel to Kalimantan in the JSDF's first known overseas firefighting mission.

Japan Plans to Remove 20% of Sugi Trees to Reduce Hay Fever

The government set a 2023 target to fell 20% of sugi, part of broader measures to curb pollen from sugi and hinoki.

Hyke Launches Menswear, Challenges Japan’s Minimalist Designers

Hyke launched a menswear line built on decades of utilitarian design, reworking military prototypes and partnering with Baracuta and Briefing.

Paul Smith Publishes Memoir, Promotes Patience as a Business Strategy

Threads: My Life in Style frames Sir Paul Smith’s rise from a tiny Nottingham shop to 20-plus Japanese stores, with humour and slow growth as his

Tokyo Fashion Week Expands International Roster as Domestic Shows Thin

With several homegrown labels skipping the main schedule, organisers increased foreign designers and buyer outreach to keep the week commercially

Japan Cuts $80 Billion From Reserves to Support Yen, Buffer Falls to $1.207 Trillion

Tokyo sold a record $80 billion in August to buy yen, trimming reserves to $1.207 trillion after four months of declines.

Letara’s ¥2.6 Billion Raise Pushes Hybrid Rockets Toward Defense and Larger Launches

Letara secured ¥2.6 billion (~$16 million) to scale hybrid propulsion from small-satellite thrusters toward defense and launch markets.

Japan's Exports Jump 23.2% in July, Semiconductor Equipment Fuels Fifth Straight Gain

Semiconductor equipment values surged 49.1% as AI demand lifts chip shipments; exports grew 23.2% in July, beating estimates.

Two Workers Sent Back Into Japan Mall for Cash Killed in Earthquake Explosion

Two workers who died in a shopping mall explosion following a powerful earthquake in Japan last week had been instructed by their employer to re-enter the building to secure cash.