Nipponica

App Allows Real-Time Sharing of Bear Sightings in Japan’s Iwate Prefecture <p>IWATE — Amid frequent bear sightings in Iwate Prefecture, a smartphone app for reporting and sharing bear sightings has been developed and is gaining popularity in Hachimantai, Iwate Prefecture. Si...

Serious reply: It is a good idea to build upon LINE, something that basically everyone already uses to disseminate information like this.

Unserious reply: This is a shameful example of LGBT discrimination in Japan. Leave bears alone!

japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/gene...

#Japan #Iwate #Bears

Mt. Shinmoedake on Kagoshima, Miyazaki Prefs. Border Erupts, Sending over 3,000-meter High Ash Plume <p>Mt. Shinmoedake, located on the border between Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures in the Kirishima Mountains range, erupted at 5:23 a.m. on Sunday, sending an ash plume over 3,000 meters high from ...

Eyes to the sky. Stay safe out there.

japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/gene...

#Japan #Volcano #Kagoshima #Miyazaki

Her voice long-stifled in US-occupied Okinawa, Nagasaki A-bomb survivor speaks out - The Mainichi NAHA --

Everyone should read the whole article to not only understand the life of an atomic bombing survivor but also the discrimination they faced in the decades after the war.

mainichi.jp/english/arti...

#Japan #Nagasaki #Okinawa

Nagasaki’s twin bells ring in unison for first time in 80 years to mark atomic bombing Mayor of Japanese city used the anniversary of US bombing to urge the world to stop armed conflicts, warning nuclear war was ‘looming’ over everyone

When talking about the atomic bombings of Japan, we often relegate Nagasaki to an afterthought following Hiroshima. But they both need to remembered as equally dark days for humanity. Never may we drop to this low again as a species.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

#Japan #Nagasaki #AtomicBomb

Japan's popular 'Pocky' chocolate snack shape registered as 3D trademark - The Mainichi TOKYO -- The shape of the popular Japanese chocolate snack

No idea '3D trademarking' was a thing. But they have a point. Pocky is Pocky and will always be Pocky.

mainichi.jp/english/arti...

#Japan #Pocky

Major Japan newspaper sues 'free-riding' AI firm Perplexity The Yomiuri Shimbun is seeking damages of $14.7 million from the U.S.-based AI firm for using its articles 'without permission.'

Tech firms think they have to break the law to 'innovate' and that they are justified to do so. Let's teach them otherwise.

www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08...

#Japan #AI #News

It feels so good to see Shuri-Jo back again. I first visited it in 2016 during my first trip to Okinawa and was devastated to see it destroyed in 2019. Ready to book a return trip to Ryukyu to see it in its full glory again.

www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

#Japan #Okinawa #Ryukyu #Shuri

Special heavy rain warning issued for Japan's Kagoshima Prefecture - The Mainichi TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's weather agency issued a special heavy rain warning for Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture, on Friday morning, as rain battered t

Stay safe out there.

mainichi.jp/english/arti...

#Japan #Kagoshima #Weather #Rain

Japan's inheritance tax is high, unforgiving and sometimes avoidable Under certain circumstances, overseas inheritance can pass tax-free to foreigners who are residents in the country.

Yes, this is a very dry article but it is a good overview of the rules you have to follow when an inheritance event happens. On a related now, tax law makes me break out in hives.

www.japantimes.co.jp/business/202...

#Japan #Tax #Inheritance

Japan gets serious about attracting world-class researchers The stakes are high: Without a cultural shift, even the best-funded policies may fail to secure Japan’s future.

You want scientists to come to the country but you slash the money in to train them in PhD programs while starting a generic fund to push SCIENCE. Sounds like a typical day in Nagata-cho.

www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

#Japan #Education #Science #Research

Sanseito populist party requires press conference preregistration - The Mainichi TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's opposition Sanseito party has informed news organizations that preregistration is required for attendance at regular press co

Looks like they got a copy of the fascist playbook from their meeting with AfD, but implemented with a very 21st century twist

"Admission is only possible after checking a box to indicate agreement with the party's stated terms and conditions"

mainichi.jp/english/arti...

#Japan #Sanseito #Fascism

Japan: Apple Must Lift Browser Engine Ban by December - Open Web Advocacy

First person to port IE6 to iOS gets a free case of Mountain Dew Code Red on me.

open-web-advocacy.org/blog/japan-a...

#Japan #iOS #OpenWeb

One more recruit for the Suica army! We will defeat the QR Empire one contactless attack at a time!

Not at all. Just happy that a company that was only interested in profit was stopped from ruining an institution. No offense intended.

QR codes should have died in the 90s and if they are more expensive, then yet another reason for them to go. Hopefully, the NFC tech needed will become cheap enough that it will just be included in all mobiles by default.

Barcodes and QR Codes Become New Standard for Cashless Payments in Japan A recent survey in Japan found that the most common method for cashless payments is to use a barcode or QR code displayed on a smartphone.

QR and barcodes seem like a step back when we already have contactless payments like Suica. It is more expensive to support FeliCa but all terminals support it by now.

www.nippon.com/en/japan-dat...

#Japan #Payments #Economy

Japan's immigration policy lags amid growth in foreign residents Governors call for centralized authority as in Canada and Singapore

The local governments want unified guidance at the national level but Tokyo is dropping the ball. There would be much benefit and cost savings to centralize this kind of support but no political will to implement. Just another Thursday in Japan.

asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/ja...

#Japan #Immigration

Seven & I sets expansion targets to win back investor confidence Stephen Dacus, who took over as chief executive officer earlier this year, is under pressure to deliver on a plan to streamline Seven & I around convenience stores.

A good summary of the Couche-Tard drama. 7 along with its rivals Lawsons & FamilyMart are too vital to the functioning of Japanese society to be run by a foreign operator. I was very happy to see the Canadians surrender. Au revoir!

www.japantimes.co.jp/business/202...

#Japan #Konbini #Business

East Japan city councilor told to stop using title online over anti-discrimination posts - The Mainichi KAWAGOE, Saitama -- A municipal assembly in Saitama Prefecture passed a resolution by majority vote urging an independent councilor to refrain from us

This is fucked up. She is standing up for people that are being demonized by society and is being muzzled for doing so because it is too burdensome for city hall. Deal with it and understand that this is the sole purpose of your job as civil servants.

mainichi.jp/english/arti...

#Japan #Racism

'Not a normal person’: Ishiba shoots from the hip when it comes to Trump It is extremely unusual for a sitting prime minister to publicly speak about the leader of the U.S. in a manner that could be construed as criticism.

Credit where credit is due: this needs to be said out loud in more parliaments around the world.

www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08...

#Japan #Trump

Japanese population down record 900,000, 16th straight yr of decline The population of Japanese nationals in 2024 fell by around 908,000 from a year earlier to 120,653,227, declining for the 16th straight year and the largest drop since the current survey began in 1968...

Nothing too groundbreaking in this article but interesting to hear that Hokkaido has the largest foreign resident growth in the whole country. These people have good taste.

english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/5...

#Japan #Population

Sanseito Leader Meets With Cohead of German’s AfD; Talks Include Policies Toward Foreign Nationals <p>Sanseito leader Sohei Kamiya met with Tino Chrupalla, coleader of the hard-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party, at the Diet on Tuesday to exchange views on policies toward foreign...

We already knew this is the kind of society these people in Sanseito wanted but might as well scream it from the rooftops with this AfD meeting.

japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/pol...

#Japan #Sanseito #AfD #Fascism #Immigration

Opposition party co-head Maehara to step down over election result - The Mainichi TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Seiji Maehara, the opposition Japan Innovation Party's co-leader, said Tuesday he will step down to take responsibility for the party

A leader steps down over a poor result. Imagine that.

mainichi.jp/english/arti...

#Japan #Elections

Hiroshima streetcars continue to serve and educate 80 years after atomic bombing Streetcar service in Hiroshima resumed in some sections just three days after the bombing thanks to intense repair work, becoming a symbol of the city's reconstruction.

A key transport link in the city and a treasure. The city and the Hiroshima Electric Railway should be celebrated for keeping this link to the past operating throughout and past the darkest days of humanity.

www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08...

#Japan #Hiroshima #Rail #Streetcar

Hiroshima urges youth to stand up against nukes on 80th A-bomb anniv. - The Mainichi HIROSHIMA (Kyodo) -- Hiroshima called Wednesday for young people to take on the challenge of ridding the world of nuclear weapons and urged nations to

We can only hope that we collectively learn from the past.

mainichi.jp/english/arti...

#Japan #Hiroshima #Peace

JR Hokkaido to launch new sightseeing train services in 2027 - The Mainichi SAPPORO (Kyodo) -- Hokkaido Railway Co. said Monday it will launch two new sightseeing train services on Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido

Train travel is already normalized for much of the world, but if we lure some people with big wallets on these experiences then maybe they will fund similar things in the unenlightened world.

mainichi.jp/english/arti...

#Japan #Hokkaido #Trains #Rail

'Peace of mind': Island with 600 residents off Fukuoka city happy to get convenience store - The Mainichi FUKUOKA -- A small island in Hakata Bay in southwest Japan has opened a convenience store, becoming the first of 10 inhabited islands in Fukuoka Prefe

The revolution continues.

mainichi.jp/english/arti...

#Japan #Fukuoka #Konbini

Japan publisher sorry for column targeting people with foreign roots A Japanese publisher apologized Monday for running a column in its weekly magazine last month that was criticized as discriminatory toward people with foreign roots and for promoting xenophobia.

They should have obviously never run this racist trash but at least they were called out on it and they pulled it. The article also mentions previous anti-LGBT columns that this magazine ran in the past.

english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/5...

#Japan #Racism

ANA Fifth and JAL Ninth in 2025 World Airline Awards In the World’s Best Airlines of 2025, All Nippon Airways ranked fifth and Japan Airlines ninth.

Much love for my two home airlines, but the most interesting part of this article is historical chart of this survey. ANA has always been consistent, but JAL was in the 20s and 30s a decade ago. An amazing turnaround for the flag carrier.

www.nippon.com/en/japan-dat...

#Japan #ANA #JAL #Airlines

Colorful Floats Depicting Samurai, Other Figures Parade Through Aomori City; 5-day Nebuta Festival Kicks Off with a Bang <p>Crowds cheer as ornate 5-meter-tall floats parade through the streets of Aomori City on Saturday, when the five-day Nebuta Festival kicks off to color the summer of the Tohoku region. Dancers chant...

Such beautiful floats, especially seen in person. I was in Aomori recently and visited the museum where they are stored throughout the rest of the year. Such beautiful craftsmanship.

japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/features/jap...

#Japan #Aomori #NebutaFestival