The death penalty and life imprisonment, often described as shrouded in secrecy when it comes to the details of executions, continue to provoke debate in Japan, where roughly 1,700 inmates are serving life sentences and many live with the knowledge that they were once candidates for execution. (News On Japan)

There is already a clear Asia relocation trend in 2026. Thousands of Brits and Americans are making the decision to live in some of the world’s fastest-growing economies, including China, or picking a cultural hub like Japan. (News On Japan)

Japan's 51st House of Representatives election was held on February 8 with ballots counted the same day, delivering a sweeping victory for the Liberal Democratic Party, which significantly increased its strength from before the official campaign and secured more than two-thirds of the 465 seats in the chamber on its own, surpassing 310 seats and achieving a landslide win. (News On Japan)

KDDI has delayed the release of its financial results as it investigates suspected improper transactions at its subsidiaries, announcing that BIGLOBE and G-Plan may have recorded fictitious sales totaling up to approximately 246 billion yen and that about 33 billion yen may have been diverted outside the companies. (News On Japan)

JR East and Japan Airlines have signed a partnership agreement aimed at regional revitalization and revealed they will consider integrating tickets in the future. (News On Japan)

A man suspected of a hit-and-run drove a high-end sports car into a police patrol car, leaving five people injured. (News On Japan)

Rosina Buckland, curator of the Japanese collections at the British Museum, has offered a Japanese-language tour of the museum’s Samurai exhibition in London, highlighting the diverse history and cultural legacy of Japan’s warrior class beyond its popular image as fighters alone. (News On Japan)

A traditional fire festival in which men dressed in white race down steep stone steps carrying blazing torches was held at the World Heritage-listed Kamikura Shrine in Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture, on February 6th. (News On Japan)

Kirin Holdings announced it will sell its U.S.-based group company that produces the bourbon whiskey Four Roses to a major American wine company for up to about 120 billion yen, as the Japanese brewer reviews its business structure and accelerates expansion into health science and related sectors amid a growing shift among younger consumers away from alcohol. (News On Japan)

Toyota Motor announced on February 6 that President Koji Sato will become vice chairman and executive officer Kenta Kon will be promoted to succeed him, with the changes taking effect on April 1, marking the first leadership change in three years since April 2023 while Chairman Akio Toyoda will remain in his post. (News On Japan)