Medical consultation fees at healthcare institutions in Japan are set to rise starting in June as authorities move to address soaring costs and wage increases, with around 70 percent of hospitals nationwide currently operating at a loss. (News On Japan)

Long lines have been forming daily outside the Japanese Embassy in Russia as people seek tourist visas to visit Japan, with an unprecedented boom in travel interest despite Moscow designating Japan an “unfriendly nation” over sanctions related to the Ukraine invasion. (News On Japan)

The global matcha boom is driving up costs in Japan’s historic tea capital, with Uji City in Kyoto Prefecture set to raise usage fees at its municipal tea rooms by roughly 50% as soaring demand pushes up the price of tencha, the raw material used to produce matcha. (News On Japan)

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson urged crew members to abide by laws and regulations while calling on Japan to ensure fair law enforcement after a Chinese fishing vessel was seized in Japan’s exclusive economic zone off Goto, Nagasaki Prefecture, on February 13th. (News On Japan)

Roki Sasaki’s decision to join Major League Baseball has evolved from international speculation into an on-field reality that is already influencing both MLB outcomes and fantasy baseball strategy. (News On Japan)