JAPAN: Nagasaki Anniversary Invitation & more – 10th July 2025

Konnichiwa from BA! This is the Rorshok Japan Update from the 10th of July twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Japan.

In international news, on Saturday the 5th, the city of Nagasaki in southwestern Japan announced that it accepted Taiwan's request to attend this year’s ceremony for the eightieth anniversary of the US atomic bombing, which will take place on the 9th of August. This will be Taiwan’s first official participation.

This is notable because at first, Nagasaki said it would invite all UN representatives and countries with diplomatic missions in Japan, but Taiwan isn’t either of those things because international relations with Taiwan are currently very tricky: Taiwan insists that it’s an independent country, but China says that it’s one of its provinces. So, inviting Taiwan to a ceremony with diplomatic representatives of independent countries will likely upset China.

Most online users were happy about this, saying that Taiwan should be considered its own country rather than everyone kowtowing to China.

Speaking of China, the Japanese government said on Thursday the 10th that a Chinese fighter jet flew close to a Japanese Air Self-Defense Force aircraft flying over international waters in the East China Sea. Something similar happened last month when a Chinese jet flew just forty-five meters or 150 feet from a Japanese plane, so Japan lodged a protest against China and demanded that it create measures to stop this from happening again.

However, China accused Japan of spying on its military activities and urged Tokyo to stop what it called dangerous behavior.

Meanwhile, the Emperor and Empress of Japan flew to China’s next-door neighbor, Mongolia, on Sunday the 6th. This marks their third overseas goodwill trip since the Emperor’s enthronement, following visits to Indonesia and the UK.

During their stay, the couple met Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, attended a state dinner, and laid flowers for Japanese World War Two internees in Mongolia. Later in the week, they will visit other sites with ties to Japan and return next Sunday the 13th. Crown Prince Akishino is currently handling imperial duties while they’re away.

Luckily for the imperial family, they don’t have to deal with the mess brought on by the Upper House election campaign, which is now in full swing. On Tuesday the 8th, nearly 300 non-governmental organizations in Japan made a joint statement condemning anti-foreigner remarks made during the campaign, including false allegations that foreigners receive special privileges.

The organizations warned that politicians are using foreigners as scapegoats for issues like rising prices and will make people biased against foreigners, even when they’ve done nothing wrong. They also pointed out that Japan relies on foreign residents, who lack voting rights and legal access to public aid.

The National Police Agency is also going to change the system that lets foreigners convert a foreign driver’s license into a Japanese one. Under the revised system, short-term visitors like tourists will no longer be able to convert their license. Applicants will have to show a residence certificate and pass a tougher written test with fifty questions, requiring a score of at least ninety percent, along with a stricter practical exam.

The police agency hopes to improve road safety and prevent cases of temporary visitors using hotel addresses trying to evade the law after a car accident. The revised rules will take effect on the 1st of October.

In much darker news, on Sunday the 6th, a man stabbed two women at a bar in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan. Both women worked at the bar and both died. Police arrested the forty-one-year-old man, Ichiro Yamashita, at the scene. Yamashita, reportedly a regular customer, entered the bar with one of the employees and stabbed the other twice in the back before turning and stabbing the one he walked in with. He had two knives and did not resist arrest. Police are still investigating the motive and have not released any statements yet.

In an update to a story from previous shows, a strong earthquake of magnitude six hit Akusekijima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Thursday the 10th. Thankfully, everyone is safe, though officials have not yet reported if there is any damage. Magnitude six quakes often result in at least some property damage.

Over thirty of the fifty-nine residents of the island had already evacuated to the mainland after the near-continuous tremors that began on the 21st of June. As of this week, the earthquake count reached 1,700.

In another update, rice prices at Japanese supermarkets have dropped for the sixth week in a row, reaching a five-month low mainly because of cheaper rice from government stockpiles. According to the agriculture ministry's latest survey, the average price of a five-kilogram or eleven-pound bag fell over three percent to 3,700 yen, which is twenty-five dollars.

Despite the recent drop, prices remain around sixty-three percent higher compared to a year ago.

On the business side of ups and downs, a credit research company reported on Tuesday the 8th that the number of corporate bankruptcies in Japan hit nearly 5,000 in the first half of twenty twenty-five, its highest level in eleven years. The main reasons for the bankruptcies were labor shortages, rising costs, and higher interest rates.

Nearly ninety percent of the bankruptcies were small firms with fewer than ten employees, struggling to hire amid wage pressure. A record 172 firms also said they were having trouble with employment, either with hiring people or with workers quitting.

Reactions were mixed, with some saying this was simply a sign that these companies shouldn’t be around because they couldn’t offer good benefits to workers. However, it also raised questions about how much trouble the economy is in, with many people struggling because of inflation and a shrinking population causing a shrinking market.

In travel news, Japanese airline companies, with support from the transport ministry, started a policy on Tuesday the 8th where they will ask passengers not to store mobile batteries in overhead bins due to fire risks. Lithium-ion batteries used in devices like smartphones and tablets can catch fire if damaged.

This policy came about because of safety concerns from past incidents, like a January jet fire and an emergency landing in April. Airlines will tell passengers to keep mobile batteries nearby and visible, especially while charging, to allow for a quick response if a fire occurs.

That mostly applies to foreign tourists, though. According to a recent survey, many Japanese residents plan to spend their summer holidays indoors because of the record-high heat and rising living costs.

The survey, conducted by Intage Inc., found that thirty-seven percent of respondents plan to stay inside. Only three percent of people said they would go camping, compared to almost five percent from a survey last year, and other outdoor activities saw similar declines. Many said they would prefer outdoor activities such as camping, barbequing, or going to theme parks, if not for the heat.

The average summer vacation budget also dropped by two percent compared to last year, which seventy percent of respondents said influenced their summer plans.

In a more light-hearted travel-related story, Michael Jackton, the nickname of a Michael Jackson impersonator and TikTok influencer in Osaka, western Japan, is using his audience of nearly thirteen million followers on TikTok to combat overtourism issues like overcrowding and littering. He starts his performances in popular areas, entertaining tourists while at the same time leading them to less crowded spots. He also promotes cleanliness, sometimes picking up litter mid-dance.

Being TikTok famous, this has naturally attracted a lot of online attention, most of it positive, praising Jackton for educating people in a fun and entertaining way. However, it also raised questions about what cities themselves can do to address some of these issues, such as placing garbage cans on city streets to help reduce littering.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

Don’t forget to hit that free subscribe button to stay tuned for what’s going on in Japan.

Mata Ne!