A proposal to eliminate Japan’s consumption tax on food for two years, long promoted by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, is facing complications, with a reduced 1% tax option now gaining traction within the government due to technical constraints that could delay full implementation. (News On Japan)

Sales of the "Dream Jumbo Lottery," offering a combined top prize of 500 million yen including adjacent number bonuses, began nationwide on May 1st. (News On Japan)

A tanker carrying Russian crude oil arrived off the coast of Imabari in Ehime Prefecture on the morning of May 4th, marking the first such import since the United States launched an attack on Iran and reflecting a government-led effort to diversify energy procurement sources. (News On Japan)

Japan intervened in currency markets in late April, spending an estimated 5–6 trillion yen to support the yen after a sharp slide toward the 160-per-dollar level triggered concern over rising import costs and market instability, marking one of the largest such actions in recent years as authorities moved to counter what they described as excessive volatility rather than any specific exchange rate target. (News On Japan)

Japan began a second round of releases from its national oil reserves on May 3rd, as the government moves to stabilize energy supplies following escalating tensions in the Middle East that have effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz. (News On Japan)

Japan’s domestic automobile sales showed solid growth, with new car sales in April rising 9.6% from a year earlier to 314,816 units, according to data released on May 1st by industry groups including the Japan Automobile Dealers Association. (News On Japan)

A hotel in Choshi, Chiba Prefecture, known for offering one of Japan’s earliest sunrise views, has remained closed months after its sudden suspension of operations in late 2025, as an investigation reveals the operator behind the property acquired dozens of facilities nationwide, with at least 24 now shut or out of business, raising questions about a business model allegedly tied to visa acquisition for Chinese investors. (News On Japan)

Electricity and gas bills for usage in May will rise slightly in Japan, with the impact of tensions involving Iran expected to appear in utility charges from June onward. Larger increases could follow in subsequent months. (News On Japan)

The Bank of Japan decided to leave interest rates unchanged, opting against an additional rate hike for now, after its monetary policy meeting concluded earlier with a majority vote to maintain the policy rate at 0.75%, marking the third consecutive meeting at which rates were left unchanged. (News On Japan)

Shizuoka City said it will shorten operating hours at three municipally run hot spring facilities from May 7 for the time being, after instability in heavy oil supplies linked to the situation in Iran. (News On Japan)

Prolonged tensions in the Middle East are beginning to affect everyday vegetables in Japan, with tomato farmers facing higher costs and shortages of packaging materials. (News On Japan)

The impact of the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is spreading to Japan's export industries, dealing a fresh blow to automakers and other companies reliant on Middle East trade routes. (News On Japan)

The Nikkei Stock Average rose by more than 1,100 points at one stage in trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Monday. Following gains in semiconductor-related shares on the New York market on June 24, buy orders flowed into AI and chip-related stocks in Tokyo, lifting the Nikkei back above the 60,000 level. (News On Japan)

Japan has reduced refinery operating rates as it scrambles to secure alternative crude supplies following disruptions to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the growing strain on one of Asia’s most import-dependent energy markets. (News On Japan)

American crude oil secured as an alternative supply source has arrived in Japan for the first time, as the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz makes procurement from the Middle East increasingly difficult. (News On Japan)

Japan’s hotel industry appears to be thriving as a surge in inbound tourism drives accommodation prices in popular destinations to record highs. Yet domestic travel demand has remained sluggish, while labor shortages and rising construction costs have made new hotel development increasingly expensive. (News On Japan)

As Japan’s entire baby boomer generation enters the late-stage elderly bracket, the country is approaching what experts call the 'Great Inheritance Era' — a period marked by a sharp rise in asset transfers after death. (News On Japan)

The nationwide consumer price index for fiscal 2025, released today, rose 2.7% from the previous year. Prices have now exceeded the government and Bank of Japan's 2% target for a fourth consecutive year. (News On Japan)

Don Quijote has opened the first outlet of its new grocery-focused retail format, Robin Hood, entering an increasingly competitive supermarket market where major players are racing to attract cost-conscious consumers. (News On Japan)

Honda said it expects to post its first net loss since going public in the fiscal year ending March 2026, underscoring the heavy cost of its abrupt retreat from electric vehicle expansion. (News On Japan)