Behind the image of technological perfection, social order, and cultural refinement lies a society marked by unresolved historical trauma, extreme work culture, rigid social structures, and growing isolation. (TRNGL)

The European Union has announced plans to introduce a new vehicle category, known as “M1E,” aimed at accelerating the spread of affordable electric vehicles, drawing inspiration from Japan’s kei car standards, with discussions set to begin soon with EU member states and the European Parliament to finalize the details. (News On Japan)

ANA Holdings said it plans to expand its international flight operations by 30% by fiscal 2030 compared with current levels, with a particular focus on strengthening routes from Narita Airport after 2029, when runway extensions and new construction are scheduled to be completed. (News On Japan)

A man who was sentenced to death for killing two people, including a university student, about 20 years ago has died at the Osaka Detention House, where he was being held. (News On Japan)

A sharp cold snap continued across the Kanto region on the morning, with more than 80% of Fukuroda Falls in Daigo, Ibaraki Prefecture, freezing over and creating an otherworldly winter scene. (News On Japan)

A woman who was left suspended from a ski lift at a resort in Otari Village, Nagano Prefecture, has been confirmed dead after her backpack became caught in the seat as she was getting off the lift. (News On Japan)

Nagatoro in Saitama Prefecture, widely known for its dynamic river rafting experiences, offers a very different way to enjoy the area during winter, allowing visitors to take in the dramatic Iwadatami rock formations while staying warm aboard so-called “kotatsu boats.” (News On Japan)

As AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, a new style of consumption is expected to spread rapidly following the earlier emphasis on cost performance and time performance, with growing attention now focused on what is known as “menpa.” (News On Japan)

The effective job-offers-to-applicants ratio fell for a second consecutive year in 2025, reflecting a broad-based slowdown in hiring amid rising costs and wage pressures. (News On Japan)

The arrest of the head of Japan’s largest sex industry scout group just five days after a public warrant was issued has cast fresh light on the shadowy business of so-called “sex industry scouts,” a system believed to have generated more than 44 billion yen and allegedly involved ties to organized crime. (News On Japan)

Even as they continue working, a growing number of people in non-regular employment are unable to escape poverty, widening inequality across Japan and raising questions over whether politics has truly confronted the problem head-on. (News On Japan)

Three major banks, including Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, announced that they will raise fixed mortgage rates applied from next month. The preferential rate for the standard 10-year fixed mortgage will be increased to 2.75% at Mitsubishi UFJ Bank and Mizuho Bank, while Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. will raise the rate to 2.85%. (News On Japan)

A yellow, diamond-shaped sign depicting a cane-carrying elderly woman has drawn attention online as a rare and mysterious road sign, only for it to emerge that even local authorities have no record of who installed it and say it is not an official traffic sign. (News On Japan)

On January 28th and 29th, JR suspended overnight trains departing from and arriving at Sapporo Station to focus on large-scale snow removal work along the tracks after heavy snowfall, affecting around 500,000 passengers and exposing a series of operational challenges. (News On Japan)

A century-old manufacturer of pressure gauges in Taisho Ward, Osaka, is struggling under what it describes as a historic surge in raw material costs, highlighting the growing strain on small and midsize enterprises that underpin Japan’s economy. (News On Japan)

A prolonged stretch of unusually dry weather, described as a “once-in-30-years” event, has led to worsening water shortages across parts of eastern Japan, prompting local governments to urge residents to conserve water as reservoir levels fall to historic lows. (News On Japan)

Street prostitution in areas such as Tokyo’s Kabukicho district has increasingly become a social issue, prompting the Justice Ministry to consider revising the Anti-Prostitution Law to introduce penalties for those who purchase sex, according to officials familiar with the matter. (News On Japan)

Kyoto City has announced plans to tighten regulations on private lodging facilities, citing a steady rise in complaints related to noise and garbage. (News On Japan)

Foreign workers are now indispensable across Japan, from convenience stores and agriculture to nursing care, and with the House of Representatives election approaching, political parties are sharpening their positions on how the country should manage its rapidly growing foreign population. (News On Japan)

Arashiyama, one of Kyoto’s most popular tourist destinations, is seeing parts of its surrounding residential areas increasingly bought up by foreign buyers, with land near the Togetsukyo Bridge changing hands for sums far beyond what local residents can afford. (News On Japan)