The European Union has announced plans to introduce a new vehicle category, known as “M1E,” aimed at accelerating the spread of affordable electric vehicles, drawing inspiration from Japan’s kei car standards, with discussions set to begin soon with EU member states and the European Parliament to finalize the details. (News On Japan)

As AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, a new style of consumption is expected to spread rapidly following the earlier emphasis on cost performance and time performance, with growing attention now focused on what is known as “menpa.” (News On Japan)

Three major banks, including Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, announced that they will raise fixed mortgage rates applied from next month. The preferential rate for the standard 10-year fixed mortgage will be increased to 2.75% at Mitsubishi UFJ Bank and Mizuho Bank, while Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. will raise the rate to 2.85%. (News On Japan)

A century-old manufacturer of pressure gauges in Taisho Ward, Osaka, is struggling under what it describes as a historic surge in raw material costs, highlighting the growing strain on small and midsize enterprises that underpin Japan’s economy. (News On Japan)

Arashiyama, one of Kyoto’s most popular tourist destinations, is seeing parts of its surrounding residential areas increasingly bought up by foreign buyers, with land near the Togetsukyo Bridge changing hands for sums far beyond what local residents can afford. (News On Japan)

Canon announced a change in its top management, with President Fujio Mitarai set to relinquish the presidency for the third time. Mitarai, currently 90, will move into the role of chairman and chief executive officer while handing day-to-day management to Vice President Ogawa, who will assume the post of president and chief operating officer. (News On Japan)

Gold prices have hit a historic milestone, topping 30,000 yen per gram for the first time, with the surge spilling over into silver and other precious metals and creating unexpected strains across a wide range of industries. (News On Japan)

China’s tightening grip on rare earth exports is emerging as a fresh pressure point for Japan, with manufacturers warning that shipments have slowed to a trickle and analysts estimating that a yearlong disruption could erase years of the country’s already thin growth. (News On Japan)

Toyota Motor Corp. said on January 29th that its global vehicle sales in 2025 reached a record high, marking the sixth consecutive year the automaker has ranked first worldwide, supported by strong demand for hybrid vehicles in North America. (News On Japan)

Japan’s oldest coin is often said to be Wado Kaichin, a name many people remember from school textbooks, but an even older form of coinage was discovered in Asuka Village in 1999, triggering widespread attention and forcing historians to rethink the origins of Japanese currency. (News On Japan)

Rare earths are strategic materials on which the world remains heavily dependent on China, and as Beijing increasingly uses export controls as a diplomatic and economic lever, Japan’s latest challenge is drawing historic attention as a potential turning point. With 2026 being described as the “first year of domestically sourced rare earths,” the question is whether Japan can truly become a game changer in reducing its reliance on China. (News On Japan)

A private lodging operator based in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward and its chief executive have been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of violating Japan’s Private Lodging Business Act, marking the first such criminal referral nationwide under the law, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. (News On Japan)

The dollar-yen rate swung sharply over just a few days, with the yen strengthening rapidly from the 159 range to the 153 range, fueling market speculation that Japanese and U.S. authorities may have carried out “rate checks” to signal readiness for intervention. (News On Japan)

Japan’s department store sales fell for the first time in five years in 2025, as spending by foreign visitors shifted toward lower-priced goods and pushed down average purchase amounts. (News On Japan)

Japan’s wages have risen by more than 5% for two consecutive years in 2024 and 2025, and this year’s annual spring wage negotiations are set to begin in late January, raising fresh questions over whether pay growth can finally catch up with inflation and what steps are needed to restore household purchasing power. (News On Japan)

A large-scale AI data center has begun operating on the site of a former factory in Sakai, Osaka, raising expectations that artificial intelligence will become even more embedded in everyday life while also highlighting the growing battle for dominance in AI infrastructure and its potential impact on Japan’s economy. (News On Japan)

Japan’s trade balance remained in the red for a fifth consecutive year in 2025, but the deficit narrowed sharply as exports, led by semiconductors, rose to a record high. (News On Japan)

Sony has announced it will spin off its television business as competition in the global TV market continues to intensify, saying it has reached a basic agreement with major Chinese electronics maker TCL to begin talks toward a strategic partnership. (News On Japan)

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)

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)