Tag - tokyo

 
 

TOKYO

A private lodging operator in Tokyo has been referred to prosecutors for allegedly violating the law on private lodging business.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 27, 2026
Tokyo private lodging firm referred to prosecutors for illegal operations
The company and individuals allegedly breached the law on private lodging.
Hiroaki Obata
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 27, 2026
Police arrest head of Natural, Japan’s largest sex worker scouting ring
Hiroaki Obata, 40, was taken into custody on the island of Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, after police publicly listed him as a wanted suspect.
The average prices of new condos in central Tokyo grew about 22% to ¥136 million in 2025.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 27, 2026
Tokyo condo prices hit record high on tight supply and surging building costs
The average price of a new condo in Tokyo and its surrounding areas rose 17% to ¥91.8 million.
“Alfredo Jaar: You and Me and the Others,” features works by the Chilean artist over the span of his 50-year career. “Tomorrow is another day” is a new commission about U.S.-Japan relations.
CULTURE / Art
Jan 25, 2026
Artist Alfredo Jaar turns his critical eye toward Japan’s relationship to ‘America’
“You and Me and the Others” is a new exhibition at Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery devoted to the works of the New York-based Chilean artist and architect.
Waymo autonomous taxis on Bush Street in San Francisco on Dec. 17
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 25, 2026
Waymo-backed robotaxis quietly ply the streets of Tokyo as tests continue
The service could be rolled out in Japan in 2026, though no target date has been set.
Japan saw more tourists last year than ever — and a new report suggests its popularity among travelers is only going to grow.
LIFE / Travel
Jan 24, 2026
Data-driven travel rankings crown Japan as world’s top destination
According to travel planning outlet World Travel Index, the weak yen is a major factor in Japan’s enduring popularity with global tourists.
An accident involving a government vehicle and five other cars occurred in Tokyo's Minato Ward on Thursday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 23, 2026
Cabinet Office vehicle involved in crash that killed one and injured eight
The government car is believed to have plowed into an intersection in Tokyo’s Minato Ward at around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, resulting in the fatal multiple-vehicle collision.
The reflection of one of Ueno Zoo’s twin pandas is seen at their enclosure. The animals’ popularity has prompted concern among local businesses that their departure could hurt foot traffic in surrounding neighborhoods.
JAPAN / Society / Longform
Jan 23, 2026
What happens when the pandas leave Ueno?
The return of Ueno Zoo’s last giant pandas underscores how an animal became a diplomatic symbol — and what happens when that symbol is withdrawn.
Brookfield Asset Management will move to the landmark Roppongi Hills development, in April from its current office in Kasumigaseki, an area home to government agencies, according to people familiar with the matter.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 20, 2026
Brookfield to move to Roppongi Hills in Japan office expansion
The New York-based investment firm’s move will accommodate a Japan team that has doubled in recent years.
The only remaining giant pandas in Japan, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei of Tokyo's Ueno Zoo, are scheduled to be transported by aircraft from Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture on the night of Jan. 27, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
JAPAN
Jan 20, 2026
Last two pandas in Japan to leave for China on Jan. 27
All giant pandas raised in Japan are on loan from China for breeding research purposes, with ownership remaining with China, including for pandas born in Japan.
Investigators carry out the search of a residence related to a private sauna operator, in Tokyo's Minato Ward on Dec. 25.
JAPAN
Jan 17, 2026
Japan to survey safety management at sauna facilities
The health ministry has requested that a total of 157 prefectural governments and municipalities with public health centers report survey results by the end of this month.
Bacha Coffee's outlet in Tokyo is the Singapore-based upscale coffee chain's first shop in Japan.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 16, 2026
With a dose of old-world charm, Bacha Coffee brews its way to Tokyo
The boutique coffee chain’s first outlet in Japan offers all the trademarks of the brand: fragrant javas, stylish interiors and delicious croissants.
Police officers and firefighters gather at a site in Tokyo's Suginami Ward where two officials were stabbed on Thursday by a resident subject to a court-ordered eviction.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 16, 2026
One official fatally stabbed during forced eviction in Tokyo
The resident suspected of stabbing two officials, one of whom later died, reportedly told police “I didn’t intend to kill them, but I thought it wouldn’t matter if they died.”
Shimbashi Station in Tokyo's Minato Ward is crowded with commuters on Friday morning following East Japan Railway's suspension of major train lines.
JAPAN
Jan 16, 2026
Power outage takes major Tokyo train lines offline during morning rush
The suspensions of the Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku lines affected approximately 673,000 people.
Price increases for Tokyo taxis come amid a shortage of taxi drivers around the nation, which has been caused by the aging and retirement of drivers and a lack of people newly entering the industry.
BUSINESS
Jan 15, 2026
Price hike eyed for Tokyo taxis
The transportation ministry plans to shorten the distance that passengers can ride taxis with the ¥500 base fare.
 Punsiripanya Phakhaphon, a former massage parlor worker in Tokyo who is suspected of brokering a Thai girl to offer sexual services at the story, in Tokyo on Wednesday
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 15, 2026
Alleged broker arrested in case involving Thai girl forced to work at Tokyo massage parlor
A 38-year-old Thai woman residing in Japan is suspected of acting as a broker in a high-profile case involving a 12-year-old girl.
Tokyo's 23 wards might soon charge their residents for waste collection amid concerns that landfills are reaching full capacity.
JAPAN
Jan 14, 2026
Tokyo considers charging residents of 23 wards for garbage collection
As concerns rise over landfills reaching capacity, authorities are aiming to encourage residents to reduce the amount of waste they put out.
Driftwood Bar & Grill, part of Fairmont Tokyo's trio of bars on its 43rd floor, offers creative cocktails and panoramic views of Tokyo's Minato Ward.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 13, 2026
At Driftwood, cocktails flow to the sounds of city pop
Fairmont Tokyo’s new bar concept is an open space of three sky-high bars, including a classy area serving cross-cultural sips and a listening bar playing retro hits.
Agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki (far right) visits the Japanese unit of U.S. company Oishii Farm and delivers greetings in Hamura, Tokyo, on Monday.
JAPAN
Jan 13, 2026
Japan’s farm minister visits plant factory developer
Norikazu Suzuki examined strawberry and other plant varieties being developed exclusively for plant factories.
Cabaret-turned-kissaten 27 Kissa in the Kabukicho nightlife district in Tokyo is a cafe that operates during the day and becomes a bar at night.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 12, 2026
Young coffee shop owners in Tokyo keep the dwindling coffeehouse culture alive
Younger generations in love with the feel of the Showa Era are working to preserve its traditional coffee shops and offer their own take on them.

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival