Japan’s long-term interest rates, which directly influence fixed mortgage borrowing costs and broader financing conditions across the economy, continued their rapid climb and reached the 2.35% range on January 20th, marking the highest level in roughly 27 years as investors grew increasingly uneasy about Japan’s fiscal outlook and stepped up bond selling amid political pledges for consumption tax cuts that some market participants believe could become permanent. (News On Japan)

The Japan Meteorological Agency has released its one-month forecast covering the period from January 24th to February 23rd, warning that cold air is likely to continue flowing into the country through early February before temperatures begin trending upward later in the month. Heavy snow has continued to fall along the Sea of Japan coast as a strong winter pressure pattern drives intense cold air into the region, prompting authorities to warn of large-scale traffic disruptions and other snow-related disasters. (News On Japan)

A traditional New Year event known as “Jaduna” was held in Miyazu, Kyoto Prefecture, with local residents praying for a year of good health and protection from illness. (News On Japan)

More people in Japan are looking to change jobs as work styles and values shift in the post-pandemic era, pushing individuals to seek better roles that match their skills, experience, and lifestyle, while companies facing digital transformation and new business pressures are also reshaping hiring by expanding mid-career recruitment. (News On Japan)

Japanese police-related replica goods are being widely listed on Chinese flea market sites as “cosplay items,” including uniforms that closely resemble the real thing, raising concerns they could be used for crimes such as fraud. (News On Japan)

Japan’s long-term interest rates continued to climb on growing concerns over worsening public finances, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond rising above 2.2%, marking its highest level in roughly 27 years. (News On Japan)

Moving to a new country can be exciting, but it also comes with a host of logistical and emotional challenges. (News On Japan)

Japan’s rural relocation boom is accelerating as more families look beyond city life in search of space, community, and a fresh start, even as concerns over jobs, convenience, and fitting into tight-knit local networks continue to hold many back. (News On Japan)

Japan’s two-day nationwide university entrance exam has concluded without major disruption, even after introducing its first online application system and requiring students to print their own admission tickets. (News On Japan)

A fire festival was held on January 17th at Cape Shionomisaki in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, the southernmost point of Honshu, where organizers set ablaze the roughly 100,000-square-meter “Boro no Shiba” grassland overlooking the Pacific Ocean. (News On Japan)

At the start of the year, gold and silver briefly reclaimed their positions as the world’s largest assets by market capitalization amid heightened global uncertainty. (News On Japan)

In the year 2026, the concept of scarcity for assets like Bitcoin, gold, and silver has evolved beyond traditional boundaries of supply constraints. (News On Japan)

A wave of new subscription-style services is drawing attention in Sapporo, with everything from coffee and craft beer to cleaning now being offered for a flat monthly fee. (News On Japan)

A traditional New Year archery contest known as “Toshiya” is being held at the national treasure Sanjusangendo Temple in Kyoto, with 20-year-olds and other young participants competing to test their skills. (News On Japan)

Three death row inmates have lost a lawsuit seeking to stop executions by hanging, after the Osaka District Court ruled that their claims could not be pursued through an administrative case and that the current method does not violate the Constitution. (News On Japan)

A logistics company based in Tosu, Saga Prefecture, a key transport hub in Kyushu, has developed a massive high-performance refrigerated warehouse in-house, using advanced technology to extend the freshness of vegetables and fruit and help farmers avoid the income squeeze known as “bumper crop poverty.” (News On Japan)

Damage to fences and other fixtures has been discovered at Kennin-ji Temple in Kyoto, with security camera footage capturing the incident in full. (News On Japan)

Thirty-one years have passed since the Great Hanshin Earthquake struck on January 17th, 1995, killing 6,434 people, with communities across Hyogo Prefecture offering prayers for the victims at 5:46 a.m., the moment the disaster hit, as the aging of those who lived through the quake makes it increasingly difficult to pass on its lessons to the next generation. (News On Japan)

Nearly a year has passed since Osaka banned smoking on streets across the entire city, but reporting on the ground has found growing frustration from residents and smokers alike, along with business owners warning they are reaching their limits. (News On Japan)

Former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has decided not to run in the next House of Representatives election and intends to retire at the end of his current term, with a formal announcement expected on January 17th. (News On Japan)