Japan's 2026 population estimate shows foreign residents up 9.64% to 3.73 million while the total falls. How Japan is quietly becoming an immigration society, compared with Germany and Canada.
In greater Tokyo, families now wait one to two weeks to cremate the dead. As Japan's annual deaths head for a 2040 peak, new crematoriums stall on local opposition while a private near-monopoly drives up prices in the capital's 23 wards. A look at the limits of death-care infrastructure in the world's oldest society.
Japan's Koroyawa floor stays hard when you walk and softens only when you fall. Science Tokyo proved it prevents elderly hip fractures using a world-first simulation built from a real patient's CT data.
Japan's 2025 census preliminary count puts the population at 123 million, down 3.1 million in five years — the steepest drop since records began. The country fell from 11th to 12th in the world, overtaken by Ethiopia. We translate that number into cities you can picture, then compare how South Korea, Italy, and China face the same cliff, and ask whether Japan's immigration, birth-support, and regional-revival policies are working.
At a major Japanese pet expo, a homegrown technology called Livnight grows a sparkling gem from a dog's ashes. It costs far less than an ash-diamond, actually out-sparkles one, and never leaves Japan. A clear look at why Livnight, plus the country's pet farewell culture.
Kyoto University spinoff Toregem Biopharma kicks off Phase 2 trials this summer for TRG035, the world's first regenerative tooth drug, after raising an additional ¥850 million ($5.3M). Twenty-four pediatric patients with severe congenital tooth agenesis will receive the antibody. Here is what the deal tells us about Japan's deep-tech biotech funding stack — and how a super-aging society is becoming a uniquely positioned market for medical innovation.
PETOKOTO and three partner organizations launched the Pet Guardianship Lab to tackle Japan's emerging 'pet refugee' crisis. As single households hit 40% and the population ages rapidly, a uniquely Japanese law-insurance-NGO consortium is building a safety net for pets whose owners die, are hospitalized, or develop dementia.
JAL launches Japan's first humanoid robot trial at Haneda Airport in May 2026. Chinese-made Unitree G1 and UBTECH Walker E will handle cargo loading and cabin cleaning — Japan's bipedal answer to its aging workforce and aviation labor crisis.
Suntory Holdings is acquiring Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare, maker of Loxonin, Lulu, and Minon, for $1.55 billion. As Japan's youth abandon alcohol and the population ages rapidly, the beverage giant pivots to self-care. We analyze the deal, the booming OTC market, and what it means for global healthcare trends.
Kyoto University's AI-powered robot monk Buddharoid now offers spiritual guidance at a Kyoto temple, trained on ancient Buddhist scriptures. With 30% of Japan's 77,000 temples projected to vanish by 2040, can artificial intelligence save Buddhism? From the $1M Mindar android to BuddhaBot chatbots reaching Bhutan, we explore where faith meets technology.
Japan's government has approved a plan to make standard childbirth costs free by 2026. But the Japan Association of Obstetricians warns of a looming collapse in maternity care, delivery facilities have halved since 1996, and rural 'maternity deserts' are spreading. How does Japan's birth system compare to France and Sweden?
Japan's FY2026 budget of ¥122.3 trillion ($766B) passed on April 7, the largest ever. With defense spending at $56B, social security at $245B, and debt servicing costs exceeding $196B for the first time, can Japan sustain its finances with a 230% debt-to-GDP ratio as interest rates rise? We compare with G7 peers.
Japan's Children and Families Agency, launched in 2023 with great fanfare, faces growing calls for abolition just three years in. With a $50 billion annual budget under fire as 'wasteful spending' and births hitting a record low of 671,236 in 2025, we examine why Japan's 'unprecedented' measures against the declining birthrate have failed, and how other countries are tackling the same crisis.
A takeout tea cafe staffed by seniors averaging 73 years old has opened in Tokyo's Shibuya. 'G-CHA & Ba-CHA' reimagines how the elderly can stay active and connected — with creative tea drinks, seated service, and flexible work rules. A heartwarming look at Japan's approach to aging.
Japan's Forum for the Future We Choose has published its first-ever Population Problem White Paper. A nationwide survey reveals 70% of people over 50 feel a sense of crisis about population decline, while 2025 births fell to a record low of 705,809 for the tenth consecutive year. We explore Japan's dual strategy of adapting to population decline while trying to reverse the birthrate trend, with comparisons to South Korea, China, and Europe.
About 31% of Japanese people now prefer solo cherry blossom viewing over traditional group parties. We explore how rising single-person households, the 'ohitorisama' economy, and solo activities like solo camping are reshaping one of Japan's most iconic spring traditions.
Japan's sickness benefits topped $4 billion in FY2023, up 60% in five years, driven by surging mental health claims. Explore Japan's structural workplace issues, insurance impacts, and how reforms compare globally.
Australian data center giant AirTrunk has expanded its Japan investment to over $8 billion. We analyze the paradox of how Japan's population decline is creating prime opportunities for AI infrastructure, examine the 'Data Center Ginza' cluster in Inzai, and compare Japan's position with Singapore and Southeast Asia.
A 58-year-old mother who cared for her severely disabled daughter alone for 29 years was arrested after an attempted murder-suicide in Chiba, Japan. With approximately 40 caregiver-related killings reported annually, this article examines landmark cases and asks the world: is this a crime society should bear?
Japan's permanent residency fee goes from 10,000 yen to 200,000 under the draft ordinance published July 3, 2026, applying to applications from October 1. From April 2027, permanent residency can be revoked for deliberate non-payment of taxes or social insurance. Foreign workers hit a record 2,571,037 in October 2025, but growth slowed to 11.7%.