A Norton analysis reveals Japan has the world's highest risk ratio (0.91%) for sextortion scams in 2024. From social media grooming to AI-generated deepfakes, learn how this form of sexual blackmail targets victims in Japan, children above all,, why consultation cases have surged 14x in three years, and what individuals and families can do to stay safe.
Japan's sacred goshuin, handwritten temple and shrine stamps given as proof of worship, are being resold for up to $33 on flea-market apps. Comedian-turned-Shinto-priest Eiko Kano's plea to stop the reselling has reignited national debate. Legally a gray area, spiritually a sacrilege: we explore where faith meets commerce in Japan.
Over 420 wind turbines decommissioned across Japan in 10 years as the renewable energy boom of the 2000s hits a wall. Aging infrastructure and expiring government subsidies are forcing municipalities to spend millions on dismantling. What went wrong with Japan's wind power strategy?
Japan's transport ministry has issued its first-ever guidelines requiring more women's toilet fixtures than men's in public facilities. From highway rest stops with reversible layouts to real-time occupancy displays, here's how Japan is finally addressing the gender gap in restrooms.
Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has significantly strengthened pedal misapplication prevention standards, now mandating pedestrian detection, creep-speed protection, and expanding coverage to light trucks. Based on UN Regulation No. 175 — a standard Japan helped create — these new rules roll out from 2030 for new vehicles. A deep dive into how the world's most aged society is leading global automotive safety innovation.
A Nagasaki University study reveals nanoplastics transferred through the food chain drastically reduce red sea bream larvae survival rates. With microplastic concentrations 27 times the global average, Japan's coastal waters face an invisible pollution crisis threatening fisheries and marine ecosystems.
JR East launches Japan's first cargo-only Shinkansen in March 2026. A former Yamagata Shinkansen E3 Series train has been stripped of all 394 seats and rebuilt to carry up to 17.4 tons of freight at 186 mph. Learn how the "Hako-Byun" service tackles Japan's driver shortage, cuts CO2 emissions, and creates a high-speed logistics link between rural producers and Tokyo.
Japan's abandoned bamboo forests have expanded to roughly 400,000 acres, causing landslides and destroying ecosystems. Taguchi Industrial from Okayama has answered with the "TakeKaruGon" - a domestically-made mulcher attachment for hydraulic excavators that shreds bamboo, large trees, and stumps in one machine. Discover how this innovation tackles one of Japan's most overlooked environmental crises.
The sweet potato weevil, first eradicated from Japan's Kume Island in 2012 using the world's first successful sterile insect technique on beetles, reinvaded in 2021. A Gifu University-led team verified that rapid response with 3 million sterile insects achieved re-eradication in record time, proving the power of Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) for global pest management.
Electric scooter sharing service LUUP has achieved full coverage across all 23 Tokyo wards in February 2026. With over 16,000 ports and 5 million app downloads, Japan's largest micromobility service is booming—but rising accidents and traffic violations have sparked fierce public debate. How does Japan navigate the global micromobility challenge that led Paris to ban rental scooters?
After removing approximately 20,000 invasive American crayfish over one year, a Japanese pond saw a dramatic ecological comeback—with clear water, thriving aquatic plants, and the return of endangered species. A look at Japan's frontline battle against invasive species and the resilience of native ecosystems.