Transportation of a 150-meter railway rail—the longest in the world—manufactured at a steelworks in Kitakyushu City, began on April 18th. The rail will be delivered to Hokkaido over the course of about four days for use in the Hokkaido Shinkansen extension project. (News On Japan)

A factory that converts discarded tempura oil into jet fuel using a world-first method has officially begun full-scale operations in Tahara City, Aichi Prefecture. (News On Japan)

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 15th in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, for one of Japan's largest data centers, which is scheduled for completion in fiscal 2026. (News On Japan)

Rice prices in Japan have surged dramatically, with 5-kilogram bags now commonly priced in the 3,000 to 4,000 yen range and in some cases exceeding 6,000 yen including tax. This price surge has caught consumers off guard, and supermarkets are experiencing both high prices and shortages. (News On Japan)

Nissan’s new president, 46-year-old Ivan Espinosa, may symbolize change for the struggling automaker. However, his appointment raises eyebrows: Espinosa previously served as head of product planning—a role directly tied to the decline in the company’s brand appeal. (News On Japan)

While the purpose of World Expositions has evolved over time, the 2020 Dubai Expo hosted 98 business events, drawing over 25,000 participants from more than 130 countries, both in-person and online. Events covered themes like space and medicine, offering opportunities for companies to hold negotiations. (News On Japan)

Mitsubishi Motors has suspended shipments of new vehicles to its dealerships in the United States, citing uncertainty over the impact of new U.S. tariffs on imported cars imposed by the Trump administration. (News On Japan)

A groundbreaking ceremony was held at Legoland Japan in Minato Ward, Nagoya, ahead of expansion work for the park’s Lego Ninjago World area. (News On Japan)

Trump’s aggressive new tariffs are shaking Japan’s sake industry, with concern growing among brewers in Kobe, one of the country’s most renowned sake-producing regions. (News On Japan)

The impact of former President Donald Trump's tariff policy is spreading beyond the auto industry and now threatens local manufacturing sectors in Japan’s Tokai region, including long-established pottery makers in Gifu Prefecture. (News On Japan)

Corporate bankruptcies in Japan exceeded 10,000 in fiscal 2024 for the first time in 11 years, driven by inflation and labor shortages, according to Teikoku Databank. (News On Japan)

At a special nursing home in Kadoma, Osaka, foreign caregivers have become an essential part of operations. One of them is Chandra, a 39-year-old from Indonesia, who has been working at the facility for a year and a half under Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker visa program, which allows foreigners with certain skills to work in sectors suffering from severe labor shortages. (News On Japan)

Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average plunged by 2,644 yen in a single day, marking the third-largest one-day drop in its history. The sharp downturn, driven by intensifying trade tensions between the United States and China, has been widely labeled the "Trump Shock" by investors and analysts. (News On Japan)

7-Eleven is expanding its lineup of in-store drinks with the introduction of freshly brewed tea, using dedicated machines to serve tea at prices similar to coffee. (News On Japan)

Over 20,000 people attended the Camping Car Show held last month in Osaka over two days, reflecting a growing interest in campers across Japan. What is driving this renewed popularity? (News On Japan)

A deepening labor shortage in Japan’s construction industry is beginning to impact homebuyers, with some experiencing delays of more than six months before construction can even begin due to a lack of available carpenters. (News On Japan)

The prototype line for next-generation semiconductors developed by Rapidus is now ready, as a nationwide initiative to boost Japan's chip industry takes a major step forward in Hokkaido. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government approved a cabinet ordinance on April 1st to introduce a new pre-screening system for foreign companies investing in Japan. The revised regulation will take effect on May 19th. (News On Japan)

The Bank of Japan's March Tankan survey, a key quarterly economic report, showed that business sentiment among large manufacturers has deteriorated for the first time in four quarters. (News On Japan)

Tokyo has made it mandatory to install solar panels on newly built houses starting April 1st, as part of its broader effort to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. (News On Japan)