Local news and updates from different regions of Japan.
Current date: 2026-01-02 (JST) What Happened Japanese experts are reminding the public that Mount Fuji, which has not had a major eruption in over 300 years, remains an active volcano. While there is no immediate sign of an eruption, volcanologists…
Current date: 2025-12-27 (JST) What Is Happening The traditional winter phenomenon known as “Omiwatari” (御神渡り), or “The God’s Crossing,” on Lake Suwa in Nagano Prefecture has not occurred since the winter of 2018. If the lake does not freeze completely…
Current date: 2025-12-19 (JST) What Happened Shibuya Ward will implement a revised ordinance to address the growing issue of littering in its busiest districts. Starting June 1, 2026, individuals caught dropping trash in public spaces will face a 2,000 yen…
Current date: 2025-12-19 (JST) What Happened Across Japan, local municipalities are moving from requests to concrete actions to manage the effects of high tourist numbers. Instead of national-level policies, specific towns and districts are implementing their own rules, including fines,…
Current date: 2025-12-18 (JST) What Happened Japan’s National Police Agency announced a record number of enforcement actions against illegal taxi operations, known locally as “shirotaku” (白タク), through October 2025. According to a report from Kyodo News, there were 113 cases,…
