The Bank of Japan decided on December 19th to raise its policy interest rate to 0.75%, a move expected to have a significant impact on daily life through higher mortgage and deposit rates. (News On Japan)

A prolonged weak yen and rising prices are pushing up the cost of everything, from daily necessities to seasonal treats, prompting Japan’s central bank—often described as the nation’s “guardian of prices”—to step in. The Bank of Japan is trying to curb the weak yen and inflation through interest rate hikes, but doubts remain over whether that alone will be enough. (News On Japan)

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced that it will increase subsidies for environmentally friendly vehicles such as electric vehicles by 400,000 yen. Under a revision to the clean energy vehicle promotion subsidy program, the ministry said it will raise the maximum subsidy for EVs by 400,000 yen to a ceiling of 1.3 million yen. (News On Japan)

Electric vehicles, which run without gasoline and emit no carbon dioxide while driving, are drawing fresh attention as two of the world’s biggest manufacturers from the United States and China move into Hokkaido one after another. (News On Japan)

A new law designed to promote free competition in the smartphone app market came into full effect on December 18th, with Apple and Google designated as its primary targets. (News On Japan)

The Ministry of Justice announced that nationality reporting will become mandatory when registering real estate such as condominiums, reflecting growing calls to better understand ownership trends amid rising apartment prices and increased activity in the housing market. (News On Japan)

Find, a company that provides AI-based lost-and-found management, announced on December 12th that it has launched a new service enabling users to search for misplaced items across multiple transport operators and commercial facilities, allowing individuals to conduct a single unified search even when they are unsure where they dropped their belongings. (News On Japan)

Eco bags became a daily necessity after Japan introduced mandatory charges for plastic shopping bags in July 2020, yet many consumers still found it surprisingly troublesome to fold them neatly, a frustration that helped propel the rise of a product that not only solves this inconvenience but has now captured the attention of both Japanese and overseas buyers, with sales of the series reaching 17 million units. (News On Japan)

A team of workers who labor through the night for the benefit of society were followed closely as they undertook two extraordinary tasks: transporting a 50-metre wind turbine blade across narrow residential streets in Shizuoka Prefecture and carrying out behind-the-scenes maintenance at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka after the park had closed. (News On Japan)

Condominium prices in Osaka are rising at a pace that shows no sign of slowing, with units exceeding 100 million yen becoming increasingly common as the city records the world’s fastest rate of condo price growth among major metropolitan areas. (News On Japan)