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May 30, 2026
 

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People wave Iranian flags during a rally in Tehran on Friday.
WORLD / EXPLAINER
May 30, 2026
Iran’s strongest card in nuclear talks: its highly enriched uranium
Iran and the United States are in discussions to extend their ceasefire so as to start negotiations on issues including Tehran's nuclear program.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on Saturday.
JAPAN
May 30, 2026
Hegseth hints Japan must ramp up defense spending even more
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has delivered a veiled warning to Tokyo, saying that while Japanese defense spending was "headed in the right direction," more must be done.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
May 30, 2026
Trump insists on red lines as Iran deal remains elusive
An Iranian state media report also rebutted several key elements of Trump's characterization of the deal, with sources calling his remarks a "mixture of truth and lies."
The Maritime Self-Defense Force's Mogami-class frigate Kumano is docked at Singapore's Changi Naval Base during a maritime defense exhibition in May 2023.
JAPAN
May 29, 2026
New Zealand to decide on Japan’s frigates by end of 2027, defense chief says
New Zealand Defense Minister Chris Penk highlighted interoperability with Australia as a key factor in the ongoing deliberations.
The government's 2026 white paper on manufacturing industries says that companies need to make management decisions from a medium- to long-term perspective without being deterred by short-term costs, in order to make progress on economic security efforts.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 29, 2026
Few Japan firms take steps toward economic security, government paper finds
Only about 30% of Japanese companies have taken substantive measures to ensure economic security, such as diversifying procurement sources and strengthening cybersecurity.
Some manufacturers are passing on increased costs for packaging materials and energy to consumers amid the uncertain situation in the Middle East.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 29, 2026
Prices for over 1,000 food items in Japan set to rise in June
Seasoning accounted for the largest share of products set to see higher prices, followed by processed food.
The Japanese government's fiscal 2025 white paper on food, agriculture and rural areas noted that private-sector rice imports surged after retail prices of the grain in May 2025 roughly doubled from a year before.
JAPAN
May 29, 2026
Japan voices concern over rice imports in white paper
Private-sector rice imports experienced a sharp increase after retail prices roughly doubled year on year in May 2025.
The Bank of Japan will probably increase its benchmark rate next month, according to Makoto Sakurai, who served on the central bank's board from 2016 to 2021.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 29, 2026
BOJ will probably raise rates in June, former board member says
The central bank's policy will fall into a state of being behind otherwise, says Makoto Sakurai, who served on its board from 2016 to 2021.
A humanoid robot is displayed at the Humanoids Summit in Tokyo on Thursday.
BUSINESS / Tech
May 29, 2026
Labor shortage fuels ramp-up of humanoid robot development
Declining birth rates across the globe are driving an "unprecedented wave of investment" in robots to sustain workforces.
Health minister Kenichiro Ueno at an Upper House plenary session following the passage of a bill to reform the nation's health care insurance system
JAPAN / Science & Health
May 29, 2026
Japan passes bill to raise co-payments for prescription drugs similar to OTC counterparts
The health ministry plans to require individuals to bear additional costs for some 1,100 over-the-counter-like prescription drugs starting in March 2027.
Japan's population saw the largest decline on record in 2025, but Tokyo continued to mark a rise in the number of residents.
JAPAN
May 29, 2026
Japan’s 2025 census reflects steepest fall in population on record, data shows
Preliminary data shows the nation's headcount shrank 2.5%, the third straight decline in the nationwide survey conducted every five years.
Tsuneyasu Takeda, a member of one of the 11 former princely houses that were abolished after Japan's defeat in World War II, in 2006
JAPAN / Explainer
May 29, 2026
Who are the former royals who may be reinstated to the imperial family?
A proposal to allow the reinstatement of former male royals along the male line of the imperial family through adoption is being considered by policymakers.
Haneda Airport in April 2025. An immigration bill enacted Friday includes plans to introduce an electronic travel authorization system by March 2029.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
May 29, 2026
Japan enacts bill to drastically raise visa-related fees
Under the bill, the statutory upper limit for fees to change residency statuses or extend a period of stay will go from ¥10,000 to ¥100,000.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. President Donald Trump listens during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
May 29, 2026
Trump’s room to maneuver narrows as U.S., Iran close in on framework deal
The dilemma became clear during a week of hectic diplomacy marked by word of an emerging framework deal that would extend a current ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Yawata Mayor Shoko Kawata recently announced that she will take maternity leave, making her the first sitting mayor in Japan to do so.
JAPAN / Politics
May 29, 2026
Meet the Japanese mayor seeking to normalize maternity leave in public office
Shoko Kawata discusses balancing pregnancy with her duties — and the reaction that followed her announcing she would take leave before and after childbirth.
Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama shoots over Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein during Game 6 of the Western Conference finals in San Antonio, Texas, on Thursday.
BASKETBALL
May 29, 2026
Victor Wembanyama steps up as Spurs dominate Thunder to force Game 7
The teams will meet in Game 7 on Saturday in Oklahoma City, with the winner advancing to face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group has priced a ¥300 billion ($1.9 billion) dual-tranche Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bond deal, adding to a growing pipeline that underwriters estimate could push Japanese bank issuance of the special bond to a record high this year.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 29, 2026
Japanese banks see hybrid bond boom to fund regulatory capital
The issuance of Additional Tier 1 bonds, which are considered among the riskiest forms of bank debt, could rise to a record high in Japan this year.
Executives of the Japan Volleyball Association bow in apology during a news conference in Tokyo on Thursday following the arrest of Shunichiro Sato, a member of the national volleyball team, on suspicion of cannabis possession.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
May 29, 2026
Japan national volleyball player arrested over suspected cannabis possession
Police allege that Shunichiro Sato, 26, had dried cannabis in his possession at a pachinko pinball parlor in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward on Wednesday afternoon.
Kenichi Hori, CEO of Mitsui & Co., speaks during an interview in Tokyo on Thursday.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 29, 2026
Mitsui seeks LNG investments as data centers boost power demand
Companies seeking clean energy to power artificial intelligence infrastructure are creating "big additional demand" for LNG, Mitsui CEO Kenichi Hori said.
Multilayer ceramic capacitors, which are tiny components that regulate and stabilize power flow in electronic devices, are becoming a growing bottleneck in the construction of artificial intelligence data centers.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 29, 2026
Taiyo Yuden sees ‘scary’ levels of AI parts demand risking supply chain
The Tokyo-based company and Murata Manufacturing comprise the bulk of the world's supplies of high-end multilayer ceramic capacitors needed for artificial intelligence.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, seen in October 2025, said on Wednesday that the owners' latest proposal addresses the fans' biggest wishes.
BASEBALL
May 29, 2026
MLB owners push for salary cap in negotiations with MLB Players’ Association
MLB announced Thursday that it intends to seek a $245.3 million salary cap (including benefits).
Smoke rises following Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, near the Israel-Lebanon border, in late April.
WORLD / Society / FOCUS
May 29, 2026
How Israel has emptied southern Lebanon far beyond the front lines
The growing evacuation area, along with confusion about ongoing attacks and the eventual extent of the Israeli buffer zone, has made residents fear they may never return home.
Sony takes final bow as standalone TV maker with new Bravia sets
The newest Sony Bravia TVs are likely the brand's final high-end television sets before its TV and home theater business merges with TCL next year.
Deeply entrenched gender roles a key factor in Japan’s low birthrate
Hiroya Masuda (center), head of the Forum for the Future We Choose, speaks during a news conference in Tokyo in March.
Japan’s 2025 census reflects steepest fall in population on record, data shows
Japan's population saw the largest decline on record in 2025, but Tokyo continued to mark a rise in the number of residents.
New Taiwan-Japan ferry service debuts on ship that has war evacuation role
The Yaima Maru ferry, which will operate between Taiwan and Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture, is docked in Keelung, Taiwan, Thursday.
Japan and Philippines agree to elevate ties to new level amid China concerns
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. before a meeting at the Akasaka Palace state guest house in Tokyo on Thursday.
Built for speed: Inside Japan’s child protection system
The Children and Families Agency says language should not be a barrier to calling the 189 hotline.
Record number of students in Japan need help learning Japanese
How Japanese-language instruction is provided currently varies widely according to region.
Why youths have become central to tokuryū crimes
With the proliferation of smartphones and growth of an internet-savvy generation, the application pool for dodgy jobs posted on social media or apps like Timee — which matches companies with job-seekers for one-off jobs — began to skew younger.
Even at home, American shoppers are flocking to Japanese supermarkets
Tokyo Central staff offer handroll sushi at its Emeryville outlet in California.
Japan’s automotive industry is driving — slowly — toward a greener future
Toyota's bZ4X electric vehicle at an international car show in Indonesia in August 2023. At 10% of Japan’s economy, the automotive industry is a pillar of the nation.

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Community programs and tracking systems are expanding across Japan as local governments search for ways to prevent dementia-related disappearances.
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